Response of HEK293 Freestyle cells to 36 h of culture in Zn(II)-depleted Freestyle medium

We describe the preparation, evaluation, and application of an S100A12 protein-conjugated solid support, hereafter the “A12-resin,” that can remove 99% of Zn(II) from complex biological solutions without significantly perturbing the concentrations of other metal ions. The A12-resin can be applied to selectively deplete Zn(II) from diverse tissue culture media and from other biological fluids including human sera. To further demonstrate the utility of this approach, we investigated metabolic, transcriptomic, and metallomic responses of HEK293T cells cultured in medium depleted of Zn(II) using S100A12. Our data indicate that dividing cells can maintain a constant pool of free Zn(II), even under conditions of severe Zn(II) deprivation. We expect that the A12-resin will facilitate interrogation of disrupted Zn(II) homeostasis in biological settings, uncovering novel roles for Zn(II) in biology. Overall design: Defining the response of a cell line to Zn(II) starvation