Disulfide Bonds
- The oxidation of adjacent free sulfhydryl (SH) groups will form disulfide (S-S) bonds.
- Sulfhydryl (SH) groups are found in cysteine residues.
- The endoplasmic reticulum ER has oxidizing enzymes that form disulfide bonds.
- The cytoplasm has a reducing environment.
- Disulfide bonds are covalent in nature and therefore have a bonding strength of 90 kcal/mole both in a vacuum and in water.