Uranyl-chelating peptides to help understanding uranium toxicity at a molecular level

Uranium is a natural element widely found in the environment, due to both natural occurrence in mineral ores or in sea water and industrial applications. The production of nuclear energy uses enriched uranium in 235U for nuclear fission. Despite its ubiquitous distribution, uranium has no essential role in living organisms and presents radiological and chemical toxicities. Despite significant recent advances in the field, there is still a serious lack of knowledge about the molecular interactions responsible for uranium toxicity. The underlying mechanisms need to be unravelled to predict the effect of uranium on living organisms and also to help in designing efficient detoxification agents, to be used in case of dirty bombs or accidental release of uranium in the environment.