Beryllium displacement of H⁺ from strong hydrogen bonds

It's bound to Be: The binding of beryllium to the iron transport protein transferrin proceeds by displacement of H⁺ from strong hydrogen bonds in the protein (see picture). This new view of beryllium binding, in which beryllium as a "tetrahedral proton" is thermodynamically preferred, provides insight into the transport mechanism of beryllium in chronic beryllium disease. (Chemical Equation Presented).