Recent Advances in Detection, Isolation, and Imaging Techniques for Sulfane Sulfur-Containing Biomolecules

Abstract

Hydrogen sulfide and its oxidation products are involved in many biological processes, and sulfane sulfur compounds, which contain sulfur atoms bonded to other sulfur atom(s), as found in hydropersulfides (R-S-SH), polysulfides (R-S-Sn-S-R), hydrogen polysulfides (H2Sn), etc., have attracted increasing interest. To characterize their physiological and pathophysiological roles, selective detection techniques are required. Classically, sulfane sulfur compounds can be detected by cyanolysis, involving nucleophilic attack by cyanide ion to cleave the sulfur–sulfur bonds. The generated thiocyanate reacts with ferric ion, and the resulting ferric thiocyanate complex can be easily detected by absorption spectroscopy. Recent exploration of the properties of sulfane sulfur compounds as both nucleophiles and electrophiles has led to the development of various chemical techniques for detection, isolation, and bioimaging of sulfane sulfur compounds in biological samples. These include tag-switch techniques, LC-MS/MS, Raman spectroscopy, and fluorescent probes. Herein, we present an overview of the techniques available for specific detection of sulfane sulfur species in biological contexts.

Organelle-Targeted Fluorescent Probes for Sulfane Sulfur Species

“…Some of the most popular detection methods for sulfane sulfurs or other biologically important analytes are fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 ]. These methods involve the usage of fluorescent probes, which are important tools in the study of biological systems because they allow researchers to visualize and track specific molecules or processes within cells and tissues.…”

Novel Regulatory Roles of Hydrogen Sulfide in Health and Disease

“…In addition, Frederic Bouillaud has written a review on the bioenergetic aspects of H 2 S, with focus on sulfide oxidation [ 13 ]. With respect to methodological aspects, Echizen, Sasaki and Hanaoka summarized some of the current methods and techniques for the detection of H 2 S and related molecules, using, among others, LC/MS, Raman imaging and fluorescent probes [ 14 ]. In the emerging field of therapeutic applications of H 2 S biology, Merz and colleagues from the University of Köln have written an article on the potential therapeutic applications of sodium thiosulfate—a clinically approved compound—which serves, among other pharmacological actions, as a slow-releasing H 2 S donor and may be clinically useful in various pathophysiological conditions associated with H 2 S deficiency [ 15 ].…”