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Introduction

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Homocysteine in Protein Structure/Function and Human Disease

Abstract

In living organisms, homocysteine (Hcy) is a universal intermediate in the metabolic pathways of two other sulfur-containing amino acids: cysteine and methionine. Relative to cysteine, Hcy has in its side chain an extra methylene (–CH2–) group that makes it a higher homolog of cysteine. Compared with methionine, Hcy is missing a methyl (CH3–) group and thus is a lower homolog of methionine. Methionine and cysteine are two canonical coded amino acids that are incorporated by the ribosomal biosynthetic apparatus into polypeptide chains of protein at positions specified by AUG and UGU/UGC codons, respectively. In contrast, Hcy does not normally participate in protein biosynthesis (there is no codon triplet for Hcy) and is considered to be a nonprotein amino acid.

That homocystine itself might be present in proteins is a possibility that should be borne in mind and will be worth investigating

—Vincent Du Vigneaud, 1955 Nobel Prize in Chemistry laureate

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  1. Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School International Center for Public Health, Newark, NJ, USA

    Hieronim Jakubowski

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Jakubowski, H. (2013). Introduction. In: Homocysteine in Protein Structure/Function and Human Disease. Springer, Vienna. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-7091-1410-0_1

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