Disulphide Exchange Reactions in the Control of Enzymic Activity

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Abstract
The causative agent in kale poisoning of cattle is the disulfide, dimethyl disulfide. Typical signs of kale poisoning are circulating dimethyl disulfide in the blood, Heinz body (deposits of methemoglobin) formation in the erythrocytes and loss of body weight. Experiments in vitro demonstrated that dimethyl disulfide participated in disulfide exchange reactions which have a controlling role on proteolytic enzymes. Trypsin, the active center of which was maintained by a significant disulfide bond and the enzyme papain which was a thiol protease were used to illustrate the mechanisms involved in disulfide exchange reactions.