The N-terminal 14-mer model peptide of human Ctr1 can collect Cu(ii) from albumin. Implications for copper uptake by Ctr1.

Human cells acquire copper primarily via the copper transporter 1 protein, hCtr1. We demonstrate that at extracellular pH 7.4 CuII is bound to the model peptide hCtr11-14via an ATCUN motif and such complexes are strong enough to collect CuII from albumin, supporting the potential physiological role of CuII binding to hCtr1.