A role for His-160 in peroxide inhibition of S. cerevisiae S-formylglutathione hydrolase: Evidence for an oxidation sensitive motif

► Treatment of SFGH with peroxide or copper leads to inhibition of the esterase. ► Mutation of H160 to isoleucine leads to activation of the esterase upon oxidation. ► Oxidation of an adjacent cysteine, Cys-60, is found in the X-ray crystal structures. ► H160I is inhibited by copper. ► The mechanisms of metal and peroxide inhibition differ.