Cysteine and Cysteine-Man

Identification

-Name- Cysteine

-Formula- C3H7NO2S

-Molar mass- 121.16 g

Properties: intrinsic and extrinsic

-Average atomic and or molar mass- 121.16 g

- Color- White powder

-Melting point- 240 °C

-Ionization numbers- N/A

-Bonding type- Disulfide

-Geometric shape- Six-sided geometric crystals

-Solubility- 1.5g/100g ethanol 19 °C

Common isotope- N/A

Isolation information (discovery)

-Year- 1810

-Country- England

-Individual- William Hyde Wollaston

Sources

-Natural sources- Amino acid synthesized in humans

-Industrial sources- Can be obtained industrially by hydrolysis of human hair, duck feathers, or the fermentation of mutant E. coli.

Uses- acts as a nucleophile in enzymatic reactions, serves an important structural role in many proteins, used as a food additive with the E-number E920.

Complimentary or antagonistic substances and or conditions

-Cysteine is a nucleophile, and is easily oxidized.

-Cysteine helps create sulfide by extracting it from nitrogenase and iron-sulfur clusters. In the process, cysteine is converted to alanine.

Long ago, the body was a dark place, filled with numerous molecules of acetaldehyde causing drunkenness all around. The cells of the body were defenseless against their harmful effects. If only they had a fearless protector that would devote his life to the defense against the evil acetaldehyde molecules…

Enter Doctor Serine, a genius scientist, and his inexperienced lab assistant Methionine. Together, but mostly through the work of Doctor Serine, they attempted to create a protector of all the bodily cells and organs threatened by the vile acetaldehydes. Through the complex, and dangerous, process of Cystathionine beta-synthase, a hero emerged, a catalyst named Cysteine-Man. In the process, however, Methionine was injured because he was being stupid and left his S-adenosylmethionine substrate exposed. Who was once Methionine became Homocysteine.

The mighty hero Cysteine-Man gracefully soared off the rooftop of Dr. Serine’s lab. As he flew, he shouted, so loud that all the acetaldehydes could hear him, “I am Cysteine-Man! I live to expel the evil acetaldehydes