Thioredoxins are a class of proteins that are used in redox reactions, and are found in all living organisms. In humans, they respond to reactive oxygen species, while in plants they are important for growth, photosynthesis, flowering and seed formation. In E. coli, thioredoxins catalyze a number of redox reactions, and are important in stress response, as well as other functions. In this pathway, oxidized thioredoxin is reduced by thioredoxin reductase, in order to form reduced thioredoxin. This reaction also uses NADPH as a cofactor. Reduced thioredoxin then, as part of a redox reaction, acts as the oxidizing agent and converts an oxidized electron acceptor into a reduced electron acceptor. This then produces oxidized thioredoxin, which can be further reduced and reused in other redox reactions.

Thioredoxin Pathway References