Structural perspectives on H(2)S homeostasis.

The enzymes involved in H(2)S homeostasis regulate its production from sulfur-containing amino acids and its oxidation to thiosulfate and sulfate. Two gatekeepers in this homeostatic circuit are cystathionine beta-synthase, which commits homocysteine to cysteine, and sulfide quinone oxidoreductase, which commits H(2)S to oxidation via a mitochondrial pathway. Inborn errors at either locus affect sulfur metabolism, increasing homocysteine-derived H(2)S synthesis in the case of CBS deficiency and reducing complex IV activity in the case of SQOR deficiency. In this review, we focus on structural perspectives on the reaction mechanisms and regulation of these two enzymes, which are key to understanding H(2)S homeostasis in health and its dysregulation and potential targeting in disease.