Cysteine

Proteinogenic amino acid, which is a component of almost all proteins in which an SH group or the S-S bridges derived from it are of particular importance for the structure and function of the protein in question Cysteine can be traced back to various proteins. ways. Some microorganisms can incorporate organic sulphur directly into cysteine and the enzymes that catalyse this step are called cysteine synthases.

Cysteine can be broken down in 3 ways to pyruvate (pyruvic acid).

• The cysteine transaminase converts cysteine into mercaptopyruvate.
• The cysteine dioxygenase converts cysteine into cysteic acid.
• Cysteine gamma lyase converts cysteine into pyruvate by splitting off alanine, Nh3 and H2S.

L-cysteine is authorised as a food additive(E 920)