Abstract
3-Mercaptopropionate (3-MPA) is a major organic sulphur compound (thiol) recently detected in the anoxic pore waters of coastal marine sediments1. A chemical mechanism for the formation of 3-MPA has been identified as the abiotic addition of H2S to the double bond of acrylate2. A natural source of acrylate (for the addition reaction) is dimethylsulphoniopropionate (DMSP) which yields dimethylsulphide (DMS) and acrylate upon enzymatic cleavage3,4. DMSP occurs in plants, particularly those in saline environments where it fulfils an osmotic function5. Here we present evidence that 3-MPA is generated from the biotransformations of DMSP as well as the sulphur-containing amino acids methionine and homocysteine. Additionally, 3-MPA is metabolized in sediments. In view of these findings we suggest that 3-MPA is a central metabolite in both catabolic and assimilatory sulphur metabolism in general.
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Kiene, R., Taylor, B. Biotransformations of organosulphur compounds in sediments via 3-mercaptopropionate. Nature 332, 148–150 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1038/332148a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/332148a0
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