Definition

A chemical group consisting of a sulfur atom bonded to a hydrogen atom, often found in organic compounds and proteins.

Example

Cysteine contains a sulfhydryl group that can form disulfide bonds, which are important for protein structure.

Conversation

I was reading about how sulfhydryl groups play a role in protein structure.

Oh really? I’ve heard that they can affect how proteins fold.

Yeah, it’s fascinating how one little sulfhydryl group can make such a difference.

Science is amazing like that; even the smallest details matter!

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Sulfhydryl → It is formed from "sulfur" (from Latin *sulfur*, meaning the chemical element sulfur) and "hydryl" (from Greek *hydro-* meaning water and *-yl* indicating a functional group). The word refers to a functional group containing sulfur and hydrogen, often represented as -SH.

Memory Tip

Think of 'sulfur' as the key element and 'hydryl' indicating a group related to water, which helps you remember that sulfhydryl refers to a group containing sulfur and hydrogen.

Visually Confused Words