N,N-Bis(α-iodoacetyl)-2,2′-dithiobis(ethylamine), a reversible crosslinking reagent for protein sulfhydryl groups

Abstract

This paper describes the synthesis and analysis of N,N′-bis(α-iodoacetyl)-2-2′-dithiobis(ethylamine) (BIDBE), a bifunctional reagent with the structure ICH 2CONH-(CH 2) 2SS(CH 2) 2NHCOCH 2I. BIDBE is shown to react with the sulfhydryl groups of tubulin and to generate a cleavable crosslink between aldolase subunits. BIDBE may be the only reagent hitherto described which can generate a cleavable crosslink between nonadjacent sulfhydryl groups in proteins.