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Cysteine facts for kids

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L-Cysteine
L-Cystein - L-Cysteine.svg
L-cysteine-3D-balls2.png
L-cysteine-3D-vdW2.png
IUPAC name Cysteine
Other names 2-Amino-3-sulfhydrylpropanoic acid
Except where noted otherwise, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C, 100 kPa)

Cysteine (abbreviated as Cys or C) is an α-amino acid. It has the chemical formula HO2CCH(NH2)CH2SH.

Cysteine is a semi-essential amino acid, which means that humans can make it. The codons UGU and UGC code for cysteine. The thiol side chain in cysteine often does enzyme reactions as a nucleophile. The thiol oxidises to give the disulfide derivative cystine, which is important in many protein structures. When used as a food additive, cysteine has the E number E920.

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Images for kids

  • Betain-Cystein

    (R)-Cysteine (left) and (S)-Cysteine (right) in zwitterionic form at neutral pH

  • Cystine-skeletal

    Figure 2: Cystine (shown here in its neutral form), two cysteines bound together by a disulfide bond

See also

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