Proteomics as a tool for examining the toxicity of heavy metals

Examining the toxic effects of heavy metals on protein expression can be useful for gaining insight into the biomolecular mechanisms of toxicity and for identifying potential candidate metal-specific protein markers of exposure and response. In this article, we present the state of the art of proteomics in metal-toxicity-related studies. We consider different methods used for sample preparation that depend on the nature of the sample (plants, microorganisms and animals). We also describe different proteomic strategies, both gel-based and gel-free technologies, including two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and multi-dimensional protein-identification technology (MudPIT). We critically review the advantages and the disadvantages of such techniques and discuss the main studies carried out so far. We also comment on future applications and potential research interests within this field.