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.