Real-time assays for monitoring the influence of sulfide and sulfane sulfur species on protein thiol redox states.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is known to induce persulfidation of protein thiols. However, the process of H2S-induced persulfidation is not fully understood as it requires an additional oxidant. There are several mechanistic possibilities and it is of interest to determine which pathway is kinetically most relevant.

Reactivation of oxidized PTP1B and PTEN by thioredoxin 1.

Unlabelled: The transient inactivation of protein phosphatases contributes to the efficiency and temporal control of kinase-dependent signal transduction. In particular, members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase family are known to undergo reversible oxidation of their active site cysteine. The thiol oxidation step requires activation of colocalized NADPH oxidases and is mediated by locally produced reactive oxygen species, in particular H2 O2 .

Polysulfides link H2S to protein thiol oxidation.

Aims: Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is suggested to act as a gaseous signaling molecule in a variety of physiological processes. Its molecular mechanism of action was proposed to involve protein S-sulfhydration, that is, conversion of cysteinyl thiolates (Cys-S(-)) to persulfides (Cys-S-S(-)). A central and unresolved question is how H2S-that is, a molecule with sulfur in its lowest possible oxidation state (-2)-can lead to oxidative thiol modifications.