Cysteine and derivatives
Cysteine is a sulfur-containing amino acid with the chemical formula C₃H₇NO₂S.. It is one of the common amino acids in protein synthesis and plays an important biological function in many organisms. Cysteine contains a sulfhydryl group (-SH) in its structure, which gives it unique chemical properties and allows it to form disulfide bonds (-SS-) with other molecules, which is essential for the three-dimensional structure and function of proteins. Cysteine can be converted into a variety of derivatives with important biological functions in the body. Common derivatives include: glutathione, cysteine sulfate, hydrogen sulfide, methionine, and other compounds derived from cysteine. Cysteine and its derivatives play multiple roles in organisms, involving many important physiological processes such as anti-oxidation, protein structure stabilization, and detoxification. Due to their antioxidant properties, cysteine and glutathione are often used in the study of aging, neurodegenerative diseases (such as Parkinson's disease), etc.