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New Reaction of O-Benzoquinone at the Thioether Group of Methionine

Nature New Biology volume 236, pages 101–103 (1972)Cite this article

Abstract

Ortho-quinones such as o-benzoquinone, DOPA quinone, indole-5,6-quinone, adrenoquinone and flavonol quinones are highly reactive and unstable compounds present in biological systems1. Their reactions with proteins are intimately connected with such biochemical processes as formation of melanin2–4, tanning of insect cuticle5, 6 and tanning of plant proteins7–9. The reaction of o-benzoquinone with some of the enzymes results in their inactivation10, 11. The principal functional groups of proteins that have been implicated in these cases are the amino, imino and the sulphydryl groups1. In our studies on the reaction of o-benzoquinone with amino-acids and proteins we have observed a new reaction of o-benzoquinone at the thioether group of methionine.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 12

    PAUL J. VITHAYATHIL & G. SATYANARAYANA MURTHY

Authors
  1. PAUL J. VITHAYATHIL
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  2. G. SATYANARAYANA MURTHY
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VITHAYATHIL, P., MURTHY, G. New Reaction of O-Benzoquinone at the Thioether Group of Methionine. Nature New Biology 236, 101–103 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1038/newbio236101b0

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