Possible Interaction: Cobalt and Vitamin B 12

“Supplementing a diet of oats and hay with cobalt causes the level of vitamin B12 in the serum to increase as much as 10-fold1.”

“ Cobalt is an essential oligoelement which enters in the composition of vitamin B12.”

“Although the individual methyl transfer reactions catalyzed are simple S(N)2 displacements, the required change in coordination at the cobalt of the cobalamin or cobamide cofactors and the lability of the reduced Co(+1) intermediates introduces the necessity for complex conformational changes during the catalytic cycle.”

“The findings indicate a collaborative relationship between vitamin B-12 metabolism and the trace elements nickel and cobalt.”

“Between the third and the twenty-third weeks of the experiment, the mean serum concentration of vitamin B12 was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in cobalt supplemented (289.6 +/- 40.76 pg/ml) than deficient (142.8 +/- 28.27 pg/ml) goats.”

“Removal of cobalt from the diet or supplementation with an antibiotic (succinylsulfathiazole) significantly reduced the rate of intestinal synthesis and liver stores of vitamin B12.”

“Addition of inorganic cobalt to the diet resulted in a significant increase in tissue stores of vitamin B-12.”

“At different points during the reaction cycle, the coordination state of the cobalt of the cobalamin changes.”

“At different points during the reaction cycle, the coordination to the cobalt of the cobalamin changes; most notably, the imidazole side chain of His759 that coordinates to the cobalamin in the "His-on" state can dissociate to produce a "His-off" state.”

“Addition of cobalt did not influence the growth of BCG and M. phlei, but markedly enhanced the production of Vitamin B12.”