The importance of rare earth elements is increasingly recognized due to the increased demand for their mining and separation. This demand is driving research on the biology of rare earth elements. Biomolecules associated with rare earth elements include rare earth element-dependent enzymes (methanol dehydrogenase XoxF, ethanol dehydrogenase ExaF/PedH), rare earth element-binding proteins, and the relevant metallophores. Traditional (chemical) separation methods for rare earth elements harvesting and separation are typically inefficient, while causing environmental problems, whereas bioharvesting, potentially, offers more efficient, more green platforms. Here, we review the current state of research on the biological functions of rare earth element-dependent biomolecules, and the characteristics of the relevant proteins, including the specific amino acids involved in rare earth metal binding. We also provide an outlook at strategies for further understanding of biological processes and the potential applications of rare earth element-dependent enzymes and other biomolecules.

中文翻译：

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稀土元素在生物分子功能中的新兴作用


由于对稀土元素的开采和分离需求增加，稀土元素的重要性越来越得到认可。这种需求推动了对稀土元素生物学的研究。与稀土元素相关的生物分子包括稀土元素依赖性酶（甲醇脱氢酶 XoxF、乙醇脱氢酶 ExaF/PedH）、稀土元素结合蛋白和相关金属基团。用于稀土元素收集和分离的传统（化学）分离方法通常效率低下，同时会导致环境问题，而生物收集可能会提供更高效、更环保的平台。在这里，我们回顾了稀土元素依赖性生物分子的生物学功能的研究现状，以及相关蛋白质的特性，包括参与稀土金属结合的特定氨基酸。我们还对进一步了解生物过程以及稀土元素依赖性酶和其他生物分子的潜在应用的策略进行了展望。