SOME FACTORS WHICH INFLUENCE THE OXIDATION OF SULFHYDRYL GROUPS

1. Cyanide inhibits the oxidation of the SH groups of cysteine and denatured egg albumin by the uric acid reagent. 2. At pH 4.8 cysteine is oxidized by the uric acid reagent and by ferricyanide in the presence but not in the absence of added copper sulfate. 3. In neutral solution, the uric acid reagent oxidizes the SH groups of denatured egg albumin in the presence of urea but not in the presence of alkyl sulfate or in the absence of denaturing agents. 4. Ferricyanide oxidizes the SH groups of neutral denatured egg albumin even in the presence of alkyl sulfate or, if precautions are taken to avoid aggregation, in the absence of denaturing agents. 5. In acid solution, ferricyanide does not oxidize the SH groups of denatured egg albumin completely. The oxidation is more complete, however, in the presence of urea than in the presence of alkyl sulfate, and more complete in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride than in the presence of urea. 6. The uric acid reagent which does not oxidize the SH groups of neutral denatured but unhydrolyzed egg albumin in the absence of denaturing agents does, under the same conditions, oxidize the SH groups of egg albumin partially hydrolyzed by pepsin. 7. At pH 4.8 in alkyl sulfate solution ferricyanide oxidizes the SH groups of digested egg albumin more completely than the SH groups of denatured but undigested egg albumin.