Definition
cysteins
noun
- Plural of cysteine; amino acids containing sulfur that are found in proteins and play important roles in protein structure and function.
Usage: biochemistry; technical
Examples
- Cysteins are amino acids that contain a thiol group in their side chain.
- The protein's stability depends on disulfide bonds formed between cysteins.
- Cysteins can oxidize to form cystine, a dimer linked by a disulfide bond.
- Many enzymes contain cysteins that are critical for their catalytic activity.
- The sequence of cysteins in a protein affects its three-dimensional structure.