title: The versatile low-molecular-weight thiols: Beyond cell protection.
abstract: Low-molecular-weight (LMW) thiols are extensively involved in the maintenance of cellular redox potentials and the protection of cells from a variety of reactive chemical and electrophilic species. However, we recently found that the metabolic coupling of two LMW thiols - mycothiol (MSH) and ergothioneine (EGT) - programs the biosynthesis of the anti-infective agent lincomycin A. Remarkably, such a constructive role of the thiols in the biosynthesis of natural products has so far received relatively little attention. We speculate that the unusual thiol EGT might function as a chiral thiolation carrier (for modification) and a novel activator (for glycosylation) of sugar. Additionally, we examine recent evidence for LMW thiols (MSH and others) as sulfur donors of sulfur-containing natural products. Clearly, the LMW thiols have more diverse activities beyond cell protection, and more attention should be paid to the correlation of their functions with thiol-dependent enzymes.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Qunfei
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Bioorganic and Natural Products Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.|Huzhou Center of Bio-Synthetic Innovation, Huzhou, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D001688:Biological Products / Q000378:metabolism; D002241:Carbohydrates; D003545:Cysteine / Q000378:metabolism; D004880:Ergothioneine / Q000378:metabolism; D006020:Glycopeptides / Q000378:metabolism; D006031:Glycosylation; D007294:Inositol / Q000378:metabolism; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D002241:Carbohydrates; D006020:Glycopeptides; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; C089265:mycothiol; D007294:Inositol; D004880:Ergothioneine; D003545:Cysteine
keywords: ergothioneine; low-molecular-weight thiols; mycothiol; non-Leloir pathway; sulfur incorporation; thiolation carrier