The Catalytic Action of Traces of Iron on the Oxidation of Cysteine and Glutathione

Abstract

THE great acceleration produced in the atmospheric oxidation of cysteine by small quantities of iron was first shown by Mathews and Walker [19091, who observed that the reaction velocity was doubled by the addition of M/100,000 ferric chloride. These investigators also showed that the oxidation is inhibited by cyanides and nitriles, one molecule of hydrogen cyanide sufficing to inhibit the oxidation of one thousand molecules of cysteine. In its behaviour towards various reagents and in its susceptibility to' changes in hydrogen ion concentration, the oxidation of cysteine closely resembles the oxidations taking place in the living cell, and has on this account received a considerable amount of attention.