New cysteine-S-conjugate precursors of volatile sulfur compounds in bell peppers (Capsicum annuum L. cultivar)

The objective of this study was to verify whether the volatile organic sulfur compounds recently discovered in bell pepper (Capsicum annuum, L. cultivars), such as the mercapto-ketones: 4-sulfanyl-2-heptanone and 2-sulfanyl-4-heptanone, the mercapto-alcohols: 4-sulfanyl-2-heptanol and 2-sulfanyl-4-heptanol, and heptane-2,4-dithiol, originate from their corresponding cysteine-S-conjugates. Analysis of aqueous extracts of red and green bell pepper by ultraperformance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization in the positive mode (UPLC-MS ESI(+)) displayed masses corresponding to the expected cysteine-S-conjugates. To confirm this observation, four cysteine-S-conjugates were prepared as authentic samples: S-(3-hydroxy-1-methylhexyl)-L-cysteine, S-(3-hydroxy-1-propylbutyl)-L-cysteine, S-(3-oxo-1-propylbutyl)-L-cysteine, and (2R,2'R)-3,3'-(4-hydroxyheptane-2,6-diyl)bis(sulfanediyl) bis(2-aminopropanoic acid). By comparison with the fragmentation patterns and retention times of synthetic mixtures of cysteine-S-conjugate diastereoisomers, the natural occurrence of cysteine conjugates was confirmed in bell peppers. In addition, the cysteine-S-conjugates from red and green bell pepper extracts were concentrated by ion exchange chromatography and the fractions incubated with a β-lyase (apotryptophanase). The liberated thiols were concentrated by affinity chromatography, and their occurrence, detected by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, confirmed our predictions. Moreover, 3-sulfanyl-1-hexanol was also detected and the occurrence of S-(1(2-hydroxyethyl)butyl)-L-cysteine confirmed. A quantitative estimation based on external calibration curves, established by UPLC-MS ESI(+) in selected reaction monitoring mode, showed that cysteine-S-conjugates were present at concentrations in the range of 1 to 100 μg/kg (±20%).