Hydrogen peroxide is a cell signaling agent that inactivates protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) via oxidation of their catalytic cysteine residue. PTPs are inactivated rapidly during H2O2-mediated cellular signal transduction processes but, paradoxically, hydrogen peroxide is a rather sluggish PTP inactivator in vitro. Here we present evidence that the biological buffer, bicarbonate/CO2, potentiates the ability of H2O2 to inactivate PTPs. The results of biochemical experiments and high resolution crystallographic analysis are consistent with a mechanism involving oxidation of the catalytic cysteine residue by peroxymonocarbonate generated via the reaction of H2O2 with HCO3 −/CO2.

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