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Abstract Ferritins are key proteins of iron metabolism that serves the dual function of iron detoxification and iron storage. The importance of their dual function is underscored by their ubiquitous distribution throughout all organisms. Not only iron in phytoferritin from legume seeds is required for seedling germination and early growth, but also phytoferritin is considered to be a new iron supplementation strategy for the 21st century. Therefore, it is important to elucidate its mechanisms of iron oxidative deposition and iron reductive release for its physiological research and its successful development as the iron supplement in future. Despite common ancestry, plant and animal ferritins are remarkably different in the structure of protein. For example, the mature phytoferritin contains an own EP(extension peptide) at its N-terminal, and only H-type subunit has been identified in phytoferritin which usually consists of H-1 and H-2 subunits. The different properties and function have been identified due to the specific structure of phytoferritin. This review focused on recent research progress in structure and function of phytoferritin and its mechanisms of iron oxidative deposition and iron reductive release, aimed at providing the reference data for further research of phytoferritin in future.
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Received: 04 November 2013
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