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PubMed2002

Assay methods and biological roles of labile sulfur in animal tissues.

Sulfur is a chemically and biologically active element. Sulfur compounds in animal tissues can be present in two forms, namely stable and labile forms. Compounds such as methionine, cysteine, taurine and sulfuric acid are stable sulfur compounds. On the other hand, acid-labile sulfur and sulfane sulfur compounds are labile sulfur compounds. The sulfur atoms of labile sulfur compounds are liberated as inorganic sulfide by acid treatment or reduction. Therefore, the determination of sulfide is the basis for the determination of labile sulfur. Determination of sulfide has been performed by various methods, including spectrophotometry after derivatization, ion chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization, gas chromatography, and potentiometry with a sulfide ion-specific electrode. These methods were originally developed for the determination of sulfide in air and water samples and were then applied to biological samples. The metabolic origin of labile sulfur in animal tissues is cysteine. The pathways of cysteine metabolism leading to the formation of sulfane sulfur are discussed. Finally, reports on the physiological roles and pathological considerations of labile sulfur are reviewed.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Comparison of comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography coupled with sulfur-chemiluminescence detector to standard methods for speciation of sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates.

The monitoring of total sulfur content and speciation of individual sulfur-containing compounds in middle distillates is required for efficient catalyst selection and for a better understanding of the kinetics of the reactions involved in hydrotreament processes. Owing to higher resolution power and enhanced sensitivity, comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) hyphenated to sulfur chemiluminescence detection (SCD) has recently evolved as a powerful tool for improving characterization and identification of sulfur compounds. The aim of this paper is to compare quantitatively GCxGC-SCD and various other methods commonly employed in the petroleum industry, such as X-ray fluorescence, conventional GC-SCD, and high-resolution mass spectrometry, for total sulfur content determination and speciation analysis. Different samples of middle distillates have been analyzed to demonstrate the high potential and important advantages of GCxGC-SCD for innovative and quantitative analysis of sulfur-containing compounds. More accurate and detailed results for benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes are presented, showing that GCxGC-SCD should become, in the future, an essential tool for sulfur speciation analysis.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2002

Sulfur in human nutrition and applications in medicine.

Because the role of elemental sulfur in human nutrition has not been studied extensively, it is the purpose of this article to emphasize the importance of this element in humans and discuss the therapeutic applications of sulfur compounds in medicine. Sulfur is the sixth most abundant macromineral in breast milk and the third most abundant mineral based on percentage of total body weight. The sulfur-containing amino acids (SAAs) are methionine, cysteine, cystine, homocysteine, homocystine, and taurine. Dietary SAA analysis and protein supplementation may be indicated for vegan athletes, children, or patients with HIV, because of an increased risk for SAA deficiency in these groups. Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), a volatile component in the sulfur cycle, is another source of sulfur found in the human diet. Increases in serum sulfate may explain some of the therapeutic effects of MSM, DMSO, and glucosamine sulfate. Organic sulfur, as SAAs, can be used to increase synthesis of S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), glutathione (GSH), taurine, and N-acetylcysteine (NAC). MSM may be effective for the treatment of allergy, pain syndromes, athletic injuries, and bladder disorders. Other sulfur compounds such as SAMe, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), taurine, glucosamine or chondroitin sulfate, and reduced glutathione may also have clinical applications in the treatment of a number of conditions such as depression, fibromyalgia, arthritis, interstitial cystitis, athletic injuries, congestive heart failure, diabetes, cancer, and AIDS. Dosages, mechanisms of action, and rationales for use are discussed. The low toxicological profiles of these sulfur compounds, combined with promising therapeutic effects, warrant continued human clinical trails.

Amino Acids, Essential↗
PubMed2002

Antimicrobial activity of the essential oil and some isolated sulfur-rich compounds from Scorodophloeus zenkeri.

The essential oil and several pure sulfur compounds isolated from Scorodophloeus zenkeri were tested for their antibacterial and antifungal activity using a paper disc method, the poisoned food technique, a microatmosphere method and the measurement of cellular ATP content. The essential oil completely inhibited the growth of all fungi tested including yeasts, with the exception of Aspergillus flavus, and was active against the Gram-positive bacteria studied, but not the Gram-negative organisms. 2,4,5,7-Tetrathiaoctane, 2,4,5,6,8-pentathianonane, 2,3,4,6,8-pentathianonane, 2,3,5,6,8,10-hexathiaundecane, 2,3,5-trithiahexane 5-oxide, 2,4,5,7-tetrathiaoctane 2-oxide, 2,3,5,7-tetrathiaoctane 3,3-dioxide and 2,3,5-trithiahexane 3,3-dioxide differed in their effects on the strains studied with respect to both growth and synthesis of cellular ATP. 2,3,5-Trithiahexane, 2,3,4,6-tetrathiaheptane, methyl methanethiosulfonate and bis-methyl-sulfonylmethane exhibited no antimicrobial activity.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2001

Population growth impairment of sulfur-containing compounds to Tetrahymena pyriformis.

A series of 37 aliphatic and aromatic sulfur-containing compounds were evaluated in 2-day Tetrahymena pyriformis population growth impairment assay. The results indicate that, except for select compounds, the in-ring sulfur-containing compounds, sulfates, sulfites, thiols, sulfones, and sulfoxides model as neutral and noncovalent-reacting narcotics. Abiotic loss due to volatility appears to interfere in accurate model prediction because actual toxicity was less than predicted. Vinyl sulfones and sulfoxides are more toxic than predicted using neutral narcosis. Tetrahymena exposed to methyl vinyl sulfone exhibits a direct relationship between the exposure concentration and the generation times with no lag phase in growth. As such, these population growth kinetics mimic those reported for hydrophilic neutral narcotics (i.e., ethanol and acetone). Tetrahymena exposed to phenyl vinyl sulfone exhibit a long concentration-dependent lag phase, which is followed by population growth at rates not different from controls. These population growth kinetics are similar but more dramatic than those reported for hydrophobic neutral narcotics (i.e., butylbenzene and 2-decanone). These results are useful in that they imply that sulfur-containing compounds for the most part act as simple narcotics. Therefore, their toxicity can be modeled with simple structure-toxicity relationships without much fear of underestimation of potency.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Radioprotective activity of naturally occurring organosulfur compounds.

The radioprotective effects of naturally occurring sulfur compounds and isothiocyanates such as diallyl sulfide (DAS), diallyl disulfide (DADS), allyl methyl sulfide (AMS), allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) have been investigated in whole body irradiated Swiss albino mice. Administration of these sulfur compounds could reduce the serum content of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which was elevated after irradiation (23.9 +/- 1.82 KA units). The elevated liver content of glutamate pyruvate transaminase (GPT) in control animals (76.2 +/- 2.2 U/mL) after irradiation was significantly reduced in DAS (58.93 +/- 4 U/mL) and AMS (55.7 +/- 2.2 U/mL) treated animals. Elevated levels of lipid peroxides in serum and liver of irradiated control animals were also significantly reduced by treatment with these sulfur compounds. The glutathione (GSH) content in liver and intestinal mucosa was drastically reduced after irradiation. All the sulfur compounds and isothiocyanates could effectively enhance the GSH content of intestinal mucosa and liver. Findings at histopathological analysis of the intestine proved to be correlated with the above results.

Allyl Compounds↗
PubMed2003

Sulfur-containing compounds from Clinacanthus siamensis.

Two new sulfur-containing compounds, trans-3-methylsulfonyl-2-propenol (1) and trans-3-methylsulfinyl-2-propenol (2) were isolated together with trans-3-methylthioacrylamide (3), entadamide A (4) and entadamide C (5) from the leaves of Clinacanthus siamensis. The structures were established on the basis of the spectroscopic data. The compounds were tested for antimalarial and antimycobacterial activity.

Acanthaceae↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Speciation of sulfur-containing compounds in diesel by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography.

Sulfur-containing compounds in diesel have been speciated by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC) with a sulfur chemiluminescence detector (SCD). The advantages of GCxGC technique are higher resolution and greater sensitivity. GCxGC-SCD can achieve the class separation of sulfur-containing compounds with an appropriate separation column combination. The major classes of sulfur-containing compounds in diesel are benzothiophenes and dibenzothiophenes. Relative concentration of each class as well as each carbon number family can be quantitated by the summation of the integrated areas corresponding to the individual group(s) in the GCxGC space. In practical applications, GCxGC-SCD can be used to characterize different diesels and to reflect desulfurization process efficiency. In this study, GCxGC-SCD has demonstrated its value in speciation of sulfur-containing compounds classes, which is difficult to accomplish by any other single technique.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

[Characterization and quantitative determination of diesel fractions by comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time of flight mass spectrometry].

Comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time of flight mass spectrometry (GC x GC/TOFMS) has been applied for the analysis of diesel fractions. Two GC x GC methods are suggested. One is applied for exhaustive characterization and the other is used for the fast separation and quantitation of groups. No sample cleaning-up was required for both methods. Besides hydrocarbon compounds, the distributions of sulfur compounds and nitrogen compounds in a catalytic cracked diesel oil were investigated using the developed method. A total of 27 nitrogen compounds (including indole, alkyl indoles, carbazole and alkyl carbazoles) and 42 sulfur compounds (including benzothiophene, alkyl benzothiophenes, dibenzothiophene and alkyl dibenzothiophenes) were identified based on TOFMS and retention index. Quantitative determination of non-aromatics, mono-, di- and tri-aromatics of four diesel oils has been performed. The results are in good agreement with those from ASTM D2425 method.

Chromatography, Gas↗
PubMed2004

The assessment of methyl mercaptan, an important clinical marker for the diagnosis of oral malodor.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the clinical assessment of volatile sulfur compound (VSCs) for the evaluation of noticeable oral malodor using gas chromatography (GC). METHODS: The oral malodor of 127 adult patients was investigated using the organoleptic test and GC, and the relation between the organoleptic evaluation and VSCs were analyzed. RESULTS: The optimum cut-off values of CH3SH, H2S and total VSC (CH3SH + H2S) to discriminate between the patients with and without noticeable oral malodor were obtained from ROC curves, and determined to be 0.44, 1.10 and 2.20 ng/10 ml, respectively. The logistic regression was analyzed for estimation of the association between an organoleptic evaluation greater than a slight level and the groups with CH3SH, H2S or total VSC with concentrations above the optimum cut-off value. Only CH3SH showed an independent association with noticeable oral malodor. CONCLUSIONS: It was evident that CH3SH was a more useful marker for the evaluation of oral malodor than H2S. Moreover, it appears CH3SH is the predominant causative factor of noticeable oral malodor.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Bacterial taxa that limit sulfur flux from the ocean.

Flux of dimethylsulfide (DMS) from ocean surface waters is the predominant natural source of sulfur to the atmosphere and influences climate by aerosol formation. Marine bacterioplankton regulate sulfur flux by converting the precursor dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) either to DMS or to sulfur compounds that are not climatically active. Through the discovery of a glycine cleavage T-family protein with DMSP methyltransferase activity, marine bacterioplankton in the Roseobacter and SAR11 taxa were identified as primary mediators of DMSP demethylation to methylmercaptopropionate. One-third of surface ocean bacteria harbor a DMSP demethylase homolog and thereby route a substantial fraction of global marine primary production away from DMS formation and into the marine microbial food web.

Bacteria↗
PubMed2006

L-methionine degradation pathway in Kluyveromyces lactis: identification and functional analysis of the genes encoding L-methionine aminotransferase.

Kluyveromyces lactis is one of the cheese-ripening yeasts and is believed to contribute to the formation of volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) through degradation of L-methionine. L-methionine aminotransferase is potentially involved in the pathway that results in the production of methanethiol, a common precursor of VSCs. Even though this pathway has been studied previously, the genes involved have never been studied. In this study, on the basis of sequence homology, all the putative aminotransferase-encoding genes from K. lactis were cloned in an overproducing vector, pCXJ10, and their effects on the production of VSCs were analyzed. Two genes, KlARO8.1 and KlARO8.2, were found to be responsible for L-methionine aminotransferase activity. Transformants carrying these genes cloned in the pCXJ10 vector produced threefold-larger amounts of VSCs than the transformant containing the plasmid without any insert or other related putative aminotransferases produced.

Escherichia coli↗
PubMed1996

Effects of baking-soda-containing dentifrices on oral malodor.

Oral malodor, also known as bad breath or halitosis, is an extremely common problem. Bad breath can arise from many sources in the body, but most frequently is produced in the mouth by the action of gram-negative anaerobic bacteria on sulfur-containing proteinaceous substrates in the saliva, such as debris and plaque. The primary molecules responsible for oral malodor are volatile sulfur compounds (VSC), such as hydrogen sulfide and methylmercaptan. Increased malodor production is related to greater bacterial numbers, reducing conditions, availability of protein substrates, and a pH above neutral. Bad breath is more common in the elderly, as well as those with unhygienic mouths, gingivitis, and periodontitis, but bad breath can also be found in some individuals who are periodontally healthy. The major source of oral malodor is the tongue. Approaches to controlling malodor have included masking, oral hygiene, antibacterial agents, conversion of VSC to nonodorous forms, oxidizing agents, and traditional approaches, including the use of baking soda. Results of controlled double-blind crossover studies, using both organoleptic (sensory) and gas chromatographic analysis of mouth air VSC, indicate that two dentifrices with high baking-soda concentrations, Arm & Hammer Dental Care and Arm & Hammer PeroxiCare, reduce oral malodor.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Oral malodor in children and volatile sulfur compound-producing bacteria in saliva: preliminary microbiological investigation.

PURPOSE: This study examined and compared levels of salivary bacteria which produced volatile sulfur compounds (VSC) in young children with and without oral malodor. METHODS: Clinic populations of children aged two to seven years, whose parents presented with an unsolicited major complaint of oral malodor in their child (OM+), or aged-matched controls in whom oral malodor was not detected by parents (OM-), were investigated. Saliva specimens were cultured anaerobically on media that differentiated VSC+ bacteria. These were quantified and identified. Levels in OM+ and OM- children were compared and statistically analyzed. RESULTS: OM+ children harbored significantly higher levels of VSC+ isolates in saliva than OM- children (OM+ = 44% of total viable counts, TVC; OM- = 24% of TVC; P = 0.0083). Types of recovered bacterial species did not differ in the two groups, but levels of Prevotella oralis were significantly higher in OM+ children (P = 0.0001). Veillonella species followed by P. oralis were the predominant VSC+ isolates recovered in both populations. CONCLUSIONS: VSC+ salivary bacteria may differ both in type and quantity in young children with and without parent-perceived oral malodor.

Bacteria↗
PubMed1986

Potentiation of nitrogen mustard cytotoxicity to leukemia cells by sulfur-containing compounds administered in vivo.

Fifteen sulfur-containing compounds were examined for their ability to both protect normal hematopoietic stem cells (NCFU) from the cytotoxic effect of nitrogen mustard (HN2), and potentiate the cytotoxicity of HN2 to AKR leukemia cells (LCFU). All except four agents demonstrated some protection of NCFU with WR-2721 being most active. Five of the agents were also protective for LCFU with cysteine and glutathione being most active. However, a number of agents potentiated the cytotoxicity of HN2 to LCFU, the most active being disulfiram and AET followed by cysteamine, DMSO, WR-638, and WR-3689. The dose-response relationship for the potentiation was defined for DMSO. A second leukemia model, L1210, was also studied for potentiation of HN2 cytotoxicity by four of the most active agents--WR-2721, AET, DMSO, and disulfiram. The first two agents showed no effect (either protection or potentiation) when given either 15 min or 6 hr before HN2 administration. The last two agents, however, potentiated the cytotoxicity to a level similar to that found with the AKR leukemia.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1990

Sulfur containing compounds as antioxidants.

Several sulfur containing antioxidants have been used for therapeutic use as hepatoprotectors and radioprotectors. In particular the dithiolthione SULFARLEM, used as anticholestatic drug for more than 40 years, is shown to be antioxidant; preliminary pharmacokinetic data in man are presented, and hepatoprotective and radioprotective effect in mice are demonstrated.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Structures of normal single-stranded DNA and deoxyribo-3'-S-phosphorothiolates bound to the 3'-5' exonucleolytic active site of DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli.

The interaction of a divalent metal ion with a leaving 3' oxygen is a central component of several proposed mechanisms of phosphoryl transfer. In support of this are recent kinetic studies showing that thiophilic metal ions (e.g., Mn2+) stimulate the hydrolysis of compounds in which sulfur takes the place of the leaving oxygen. To examine the structural basis of this phenomenon, we have solved four crystal structures of single-stranded DNA's containing either oxygen or sulfur at a 3'-bridging position bound in conjunction with various metal ions at the 3'-5' exonucleolytic active site of the Klenow fragment (KF) of DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli. Two structures of normal ssDNA bound to KF in the presence of Zn2+ and Mn2+ or Zn2+ alone were refined at 2.6- and 2.25-A resolution, respectively. They serve as standards for comparison with other Mn2+- and Zn2+-containing structures. In these cases, Mn2+ and Zn2+ bind at metal ion site B in a nearly identical position to Mg2+ (Brautigam and Steitz (1998) J. Mol. Biol. 277, 363-377). Two structures of KF bound to a deoxyoligonucleotide that contained a 3'-bridging sulfur at the scissile phosphate were refined at 2.03-A resolution. Although the bridging sulfur compounds bind in a manner very similar to that of the normal oligonucleotides, the presence of the sulfur changes the metal ion binding properties of the active site such that Mn2+ and Zn2+ are observed at metal ion site B, but Mg2+ is not. It therefore appears that the ability of the bridging sulfur compounds to exclude nonthiophilic metal ions from metal ion site B explains the low activity of KF exonuclease on these substrates in the presence of Mg2+ (Curley et al. (1997) J. Am. Chem. Soc. 119, 12691-12692) and that the 3'-bridging atom of the substrate is influencing the binding of metal ion B prior to catalysis.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed2005

A structural study towards the understanding of the interactions of SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB, leading to the oxidation of sulfur anions via the novel global sulfur oxidizing (sox) operon.

Microbial redox reactions of inorganic sulfur compounds, mainly the sulfur anions, are one of the vital reactions responsible for the environmental sulfur balance. These reactions are mediated by phylogenetically diverse prokaryotes, which also take part in the extraction of metal ions from their sulfur containing ores. The sulfur oxidizing gene cluster (sox) of alpha-Proteobacteria comprises of at least 16 genes, forming two transcriptional units, viz., soxSRT and soxVWXYZABCDEFGH. SoxY is known to be a sulfur covalently binding protein, which binds sulfur anions (such as sulfate) to form SoxY-thiocysteine-S-sulfate, the first covalently bound sulfur adduct in the novel global sulfur anion oxidation cycle. SoxZ, a sulfur compound chelating protein, binds to SoxY forming a complex to which SoxB, a sulfate thiol-esterase, binds and ultimately cleaves the sulfur adduct. We employed homology modeling to construct the three-dimensional structures of the SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB from Paracoccus pantotrophus. With the help of docking and molecular dynamics studies we have identified the residues of SoxY, SoxZ, and SoxB involved in the interaction. The probable mechanisms of the binding of SoxY with sulfate as well as the removal of sulfate from the SoxYZ complex are also established. Our study provides a rational basis to illustrate the molecular mechanism of the biochemistry of sulfur anion oxidation reactions by these industrially important organisms.

Alphaproteobacteria↗