chelating agent

(noun)

A compound that reacts with a metal ion to produce a chelate.

Related Terms

Examples of chelating agent in the following topics:

  • Gram-Positive Cell Envelope

    • The functions of teichoic acid are not fully known but it is believed to serve as a chelating agent and means of adherence for the bacteria.

  • Siderophores

    • Therefore, siderophores are chelating agents that bind the iron ions.

  • Siderophores

    • Siderophores are classified by which ligands they use to chelate the ferric iron, including the catecholates, hydroxamates, and carboxylates.
    • Siderophores are small, high-affinity iron chelating compounds secreted by microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, and grasses.
    • Siderophores are amongst the strongest soluble Fe3+ binding agents known.
    • Because of this property, they have attracted interest from medical science in metal chelation therapy, with the siderophore desferrioxamine B gaining widespread use in treatments for iron poisoning and thalassemia.
    • Siderophores are usually classified by the ligands used to chelate the ferric iron.

  • Purifying Proteins by Affinity Tag

    • Often these tags are removable by chemical agents or by enzymatic means, such as proteolysis or intein splicing.
    • Some affinity tags have a dual role as a solubilization agent, such as MBP and GST.
    • His-tag, 5-10 histidines bound by a nickel or cobalt chelate (HHHHHH)

  • Biological Control of Microbes

    • Those that result in bacterial death are called bactericidal agents.
    • Those causing temporary inhibition of growth are bacteriostatic agents.
    • No single antimicrobial agent is most effective for use in all situations - different situations may call for different agents.
    • A number of factors affect selection of the best agent for any given situation - Antimicrobial agents must be selected with specific organisms and environmental conditions in mind.
    • Once an agent has been selected, it is important to evaluate it's effectiveness.

  • Antisense Agents

    • Antisense agents are short oligonucleotides that bind to target messenger RNA and inhibit protein synthesis.
    • When this agent binds to the pathogen DNA or messenger RNA, the biosynthesis of target proteins is disrupted.
    • A limiting factor in their potential application as therapeutic agents for bacterial infections is their poor uptake by bacterial cells.
    • Antisense agents also exhibit efficacy in broader clinical applications such as cancer therapy.
    • Discuss the mechanism of antisense agents and the advantages and disadvantages of antisense therapy

  • Damage to Proteins and Nucleic Acids

    • A bacteriostatic agent is a biological or chemical agent that stops bacteria from reproducing by targeting DNA replication and proteins.
    • A bacteriostatic agent or bacteriostat, abbreviated Bstatic, is a biological or chemical agent that stops bacteria from reproducing, while not necessarily harming them.
    • High concentrations of some bacteriostatic agents are also bactericidal, whereas low concentrations of some bacteriocidal agents are bacteriostatic.

  • The Diagnostic Scheme

    • Diagnosis of infectious disease sometimes involves identifying an infectious agent either directly or indirectly.
    • Given sufficient effort, all known infectious agents can be specifically identified.
    • In a microbial culture, a growth medium is provided for a specific agent.
    • Biochemical tests used in the identification of infectious agents include the detection of metabolic or enzymatic products characteristic of a particular infectious agent.
    • First, the catalog of infectious agents has grown to the point that virtually all of the significant infectious agents of the human population have been identified.

  • Technology and New Infectious Agents

    • Technology aids in the identification of new infectious agents, but it also contributes to the emergence of new diseases.
    • The use of advanced technology and molecular methods for detection, identification, and characterization of infectious agents is gaining importance in clinical microbiology laboratories.
    • Identification of an emerging pathogen by conventional methods is difficult and time-consuming due to the 'novel' nature of the agent.
    • Looking back at past epidemics or outbreaks caused by previously unknown infectious agents, we realize that identification and characterization of a new infectious agent can take years, decades, or even centuries.
    • Give examples demonstrating the positive and negative impacts technology has had on new infectious agents

  • Diagnosing Microbial Diseases

    • Diagnosis of microbial diseases calls upon numerous techniques to help identify and characterize the pathogenic agent.
    • It is critical to isolate the infectious agent in a pure culture containing only the infectious bacteria.
    • There are also specific types of infectious agents that require the use of xenodiagnosis to promote growth.
    • They will specifically test for metabolic and enzymatic products that an infectious agent may use.
    • PCR allows for the identification and testing for nucleic acids which are specific to the infectious agent.