What is "mycothiol"

n. (context biochemistry English) An unusual thiol compound found in the Actinobacteria, composed of a cysteine residue with an acetylated amino group linked to glucosamine, which is then linked to inositol.

Mycothiol (MSH or AcCys-GlcN-Ins) is an unusual thiol compound found in the Actinobacteria. It is composed of a cysteine residue with an acetylated amino group linked to glucosamine, which is then linked to inositol. The oxidized, disulfide form of mycothiol (MSSM) is called mycothione, and is reduced to mycothiol by the flavoprotein mycothione reductase. Mycothiol biosynthesis and mycothiol-dependent enzymes such as mycothiol-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase and mycothione reductase have been proposed to be good drug targets for the development of treatments for tuberculosis.