Sodium orthovanadate

Sodium orthovanadate is an inorganic salt containing orthovanadate ions. In biochemical research, it is commonly used to inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase: An enzyme that removes phosphate groups from tyrosine residues in proteins. These enzymes are the principal targets of sodium orthovanadate in biochemical experiments.
Cell signaling: The processes by which cells detect signals and convert them into coordinated molecular responses. Vanadate helps investigators test how phosphatase activity shapes signaling pathways.
Vanadium: A chemical element with symbol V and atomic number 23, capable of several oxidation states. Vanadium's oxidation state and coordination chemistry define the species formed from the salt.
Peroxide: A compound containing an oxygen-oxygen single bond, including hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide can also inhibit protein tyrosine phosphatases, but by oxidizing catalytic cysteine.
Transition-state analogue: A molecule that resembles a reaction's high-energy transition state and can bind tightly to an enzyme. Vanadate can mimic the geometry of a phosphate-transfer transition state in phosphatases.
Western blot: A laboratory method that detects specific proteins separated by gel electrophoresis using antibodies. Vanadate is often included during sample preparation to preserve protein phosphorylation for analysis.
Oxidation state: A formal accounting of electron distribution in an atom or ion within a compound. Vanadium speciation and reactivity depend on its oxidation state.
Sodium fluoride: An ionic compound composed of sodium cations and fluoride anions. Fluoride is another phosphatase inhibitor, with a distinct mechanism and target profile.
Phosphotyrosine: A tyrosine residue in a protein with a phosphate group attached to its hydroxyl group. Phosphatases inhibited by vanadate normally remove this modification.
Phosphatase inhibitor: A substance that reduces the activity of enzymes that remove phosphate groups from molecules. Sodium orthovanadate is a widely used inorganic member of this inhibitor class.

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