The significance of N-methylation of bacillithiol on its biological activity as a redox cofactor

Moxham, Hazel (2018) The significance of N-methylation of bacillithiol on its biological activity as a redox cofactor. Masters thesis, University of East Anglia.

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Abstract

Low molecular weight thiols play a crucial role in a multitude of biological processes such as maintaining redox homeostasis and the detoxification of chemical stressors. Different classes of microorganisms utilise different low molecular weight thiols. For example: glutathione is found eukaryotes and most gram-negative bacteria, mycothiol is found in the actinomycetes, and bacillithiol is found in the firmicutes. This study focused on N-methyl-bacillithiol, the novel low molecular weight thiol found in the green sulfur bacteria. Due to the unavailability of the thiol, the biophysical properties of a series of related derivatives were analysed and compared. Six thiols were examined so that each of their macroscopic and microscopic pKa values as well as their thiol-disulfide exchange rate constants and their copper catalysed autoxidation rates were isolated. The results determined that each thiol maintains its own set of biophysical properties that are unique to each compound. These were then observed alongside others within the literature to compare and contrast. Predictions were made regarding the properties of N-methylated bacillithiol by associating the data of those with similar structural differences. The data presented here improves upon the knowledge of the individual properties of specific thiols, provides insight into the potential properties of a novel thiol and discusses its significance within the green sulfur bacteria.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Faculty \ School:	Faculty of Science > School of Pharmacy
Depositing User:	Users 9280 not found.
Date Deposited:	14 May 2019 13:04
Last Modified:	14 May 2019 13:04
URI:	https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/70987
DOI:

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