Thiol reagents are substrates for the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of pertussis toxin.

Thiols such as cysteine and dithiothreitol are substrates for the ADP-ribosyltransferase activity of pertussis toxin. When cysteine was incubated with NAD+ and toxin at pH 7.5, a product containing ADP-ribose and cysteine (presumably ADP-ribosylcysteine) was isolated by high-performance liquid chromatography, and characterized by its composition and release of AMP with phosphodiesterase. Cysteine has a Km of 105 mM at saturating NAD+ concentration. The ability of thiols to act as a substrate is one explanation for the very high concentrations (250 mM or greater) that have been observed to enhance the apparent NAD glycohydrolase activity of the toxin.