Cellular nucleophiles

Cellular nucleophiles are chemically defined as atoms, ions, or molecules within cells that possess lone pairs of electrons or π bonds and are able to donate these electrons to form new covalent bonds. This electron-rich character makes them reactive toward electrophiles (electron-deficient species). Nucleophiles include a wide variety of molecules such as water, alcohols, amines, thiols, and anionic species like chloride or hydroxide ions. In biological systems, nucleophiles play essential roles in enzymatic reactions and chemical defense, but are not "targets" in the classical sense used in pharmacology, as they represent a chemical property rather than a single molecular structure or drug binding site[1][3][5][9].

Other names

nucleophilecellular nucleophileLewis base

Electrophilic drugs can modify cellular nucleophiles via covalent bond formation, leading to enzyme inhibition or protein function alteration[2]