Scientists have discovered a family of metallochaperones that transfer zinc onto proteins and plays a significant role in maintaining zinc homeostasis and cellular integrity. The study has identified the first family of evolutionarily conserved proteins, ZNG1 (Zn-regulated GTPase metalloprotein activator), that interacts with a client protein called METAP1 (Zn metalloprotease methionine aminopeptidase 1) to include zinc in the client protein’s native conformation. The researchers think, when the body is starved for zinc, ZNG1 ensures zinc gets delivered to the most important zinc-containing proteins.