Chemical Biology of H(2)S Signaling through Persulfidation.

Signaling by H(2)S is proposed to occur via persulfidation, a posttranslational modification of cysteine residues (RSH) to persulfides (RSSH). Persulfidation provides a framework for understanding the physiological and pharmacological effects of H(2)S. Due to the inherent instability of persulfides, their chemistry is understudied. In this review, we discuss the biologically relevant chemistry of H(2)S and the enzymatic routes for its production and oxidation. We cover the chemical biology of persulfides and the chemical probes for detecting them. We conclude by discussing the roles ascribed to protein persulfidation in cell signaling pathways.