title: Formation, reactivity, and detection of protein sulfenic acids.
abstract: It has become clear in recent decades that the post-translational modification of protein cysteine residues is a crucial regulatory event in biology. Evidence supports the reversible oxidation of cysteine thiol groups as a mechanism of redox-based signal transduction, while the accumulation of proteins with irreversible thiol oxidations is a hallmark of stress-induced cellular damage. The initial formation of cysteine-sulfenic acid (SOH) derivatives, along with the reactive properties of this functional group, serves as a crossroads whereby the local redox environment may dictate the progression of either regulatory or pathological outcomes. Protein-SOH are established as transient intermediates in the formation of more stable cysteine oxidation products both under basal conditions and in response to several redox-active extrinsic compounds. This review details both direct and multistep chemical routes proposed to generate protein-SOH, the spectrum of secondary reactions that may follow their initial formation and the arsenal of experimental tools available for their detection. Pioneering studies that have provided a framework for our current understanding of protein-SOH as well as state-of-the-art proteomic strategies designed for global assessments of this post-translational modification are highlighted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Toxicology, University of California, Davis, California 95616, USA.
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Kettenhofen
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Wood
mesh_terms: D003545:Cysteine / Q000737:chemistry; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D040901:Proteomics; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013434:Sulfenic Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D013434:Sulfenic Acids; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D003545:Cysteine