Glutathione Peroxidase

Glutathione peroxidase catalyzes the reaction:

> 2 GSH + H 2O 2 <=> GSSG + 2H 2O,

where GSH refers to reduced glutathione and GSSG is the oxidized form of glutathione in which two molecules are joined by sulfhydryl bonds.

Glutathione peroxidase thus protects against oxidative damage by reducing the reactive oxygen species, H 2O 2 to water. The enzyme is interesting in that it contains the rare amino acid, selenocysteine.

See also: Antioxidants, Reactive Oxygen, Oxygen Metabolism and Human Disease, , Glutathione

INTERNET LINK: Glutathione Metabolism