Cystathionine β-synthase TtCbs1 from <i>Tetrahymena thermophila</i> catalyzes the synthesis of CdS quantum dots for methyl orange decolorization

The significant upregulation of <i>TtCBS</i>1 in <i>Tetrahymena thermophila</i> under cadmium stress indicates that this enzyme is a key player in the organism's defense mechanism against cadmium toxicity. Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles were synthesized using the TtCbs1 single-enzyme system <i>in vitro</i>. Cysteine and glutathione play a critical role in controlling the growth of biosynthetic CdS particle size. Understanding the precise mechanisms by which cysteine and glutathione control particle size could lead to the development of more precise and efficient biomineralization processes. The synthesized CdS quantum dots exhibited significant photocatalytic activity. This work highlights the potential of cystathionine β-synthase from protists in metal detoxification and environmental remediation.