Reactivity of Keratins

Chemical Reactivity of Keratins A. The Reactivity of the Cystine in Keratin 

Cystine chemistry must obviously be a matter of some importance in keratins which, as proteins, are characterized by their high-sulfur content. An early review of keratin sulfur chemistry is given by Alexander and Hudson (1954), while the more recent review by Cecil and McPhee (1959) includes extensive reference to work on keratins. Some treatment of the topic is also to be found in articles in Sulfur in Proteins (Benesch et al., 1959). 

In this section attention will be directed to material where the special properties of keratins or the rather unusual interests of the keratin chemist have given a different viewpoint to the subject. 

Reduction of the disulfide bonds of keratin has been much studied not only because of its use for preparation of soluble derivatives (Section 

but also because it is the basis of some setting methods (Section VI,A,2). To the chemist interested in solubilizing keratins for fractionation studies the major concern is to achieve complete and specific reduction of the cystine. 

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