What is "iodoacetamide"

n. (context organic compound English) The halogenated derivative of acetamide, CH₂I-CO-NH₂, that is used, in peptide mapping, to bind to cysteine

2-Iodoacetamide is an alkylating agent used for peptide mapping purposes. Its actions are similar to those of iodoacetate. It is commonly used to bind covalently with the thiol group of cysteine so the protein cannot form disulfide bonds. Also used in ubiquitin studies as an inhibitor of deubiquitinase enzymes (DUBs) because it alkylates the cysteine residues at the DUB active site.