H2S-Mediated Protein S-Sulfhydration: A Prediction for Its Formation and Regulation

• Main Authors: Youngjun Ju, Ming Fu, Eric Stokes, Lingyun Wu, Guangdong Yang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-08-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: hydrogen sulfide; nitric oxide; cysteine; S-sulfhydration; S-nitrosylation
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/22/8/1334

Protein S-sulfhydration is a newly discovered post-translational modification of specific cysteine residue(s) in target proteins, which is involved in a broad range of cellular functions and metabolic pathways. By changing local conformation and the final activity of target proteins, S-sulfhydration is believed to mediate most cellular responses initiated by H2S, a novel gasotransmitter. In comparison to protein S-sulfhydration, nitric oxide-mediated protein S-nitrosylation has been extensively investigated, including its formation, regulation, transfer and metabolism. Although the investigation on the regulatory mechanisms associated with protein S-sulfhydration is still in its infancy, accumulated evidence suggested that protein S-sulfhydration may share similar chemical features with protein S-nitrosylation. Glutathione persulfide acts as a major donor for protein S-sulfhydration. Here, we review the present knowledge on protein S-sulfhydration, and also predict its formation and regulation mechanisms based on the knowledge from protein S-nitrosylation.