Figure 8. Secondary fragmentation, rearrangement and hydrogen atom abstraction reactions of alkoxyl radicals (RO^•) generated from amino acid-, peptide- and protein-hydroperoxides.

Decomposition of hydroperoxides (highlighted in blue) to RO^• can result in stable protein products (carbonyls and alcohols, highlighted in red), loss of protein side chains as low-molecular-mass carbonyls (highlighted in green), backbone fragmentation (highlighted in yellow), as well as further reactive radicals than can propagate damage and chain reactions.