Sulfhydryl Group in AP Biology

Definition

A sulfhydryl group (-SH) is a functional group consisting of a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom. It can be found in some amino acids and proteins.

Related terms

Amino Acids:

These are organic compounds composed mainly from carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen atoms. Some also contain sulfur atoms (like those with sulfhydryl groups).

Proteins:

These are large biomolecules made up of one or more chains of amino acids. They can have sulfhydryl groups which help maintain their structure.

Disulfide Bridges:

These are covalent bonds that can form between two cysteine residues in a protein due to the interaction of their sulfhydryl groups. It's like the bond formed when you press together two pieces of velcro!