BSC 2010C Lecture Notes - Dithiothreitol, Papain, Covalent Bond
Document Summary
Sulfhydryl groups are functional groups that contain a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom (-sh). They are also known as thiol groups, and their chemical formula is r-sh, where r represents a variable side chain. Sulfhydryl groups are important in biochemistry as they are involved in the formation of disulfide bonds between proteins. These bonds are formed when two sulfhydryl groups are oxidized to form a covalent bond (-s-s-) between them. Disulfide bonds are particularly important in proteins that are secreted from cells, such as enzymes and hormones, as they help to stabilize the protein structure and protect it from degradation. Sulfhydryl groups can also undergo other chemical reactions, such as oxidation and reduction. In the presence of oxygen, sulfhydryl groups can be oxidized to form disulfide bonds or other oxidized sulfur compounds. Conversely, in the presence of reducing agents such as dithiothreitol (dtt), disulfide bonds can be reduced back to sulfhydryl groups.
