Editing Coenzyme A (section)

==Use in biological research==
Coenzyme A is available from various chemical suppliers as the free acid and [[lithium]] or [[sodium]] salts. The free acid of coenzyme A is detectably unstable, with around 5% degradation observed after 6 months when stored at −20&nbsp;°C,<ref name="Dawson_2002" /> and near complete degradation after 1 month at 37&nbsp;°C.<ref>{{cite web|title=Datasheet for free acid coenzyme A|url=http://www.oycus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Co-A.pdf|publisher=Oriental Yeast Co., LTD.}}</ref> The lithium and sodium salts of CoA are more stable, with negligible degradation noted over several months at various temperatures.<ref>{{cite web|title=Datasheet for lithium salt coenzyme A|url=http://www.oycus.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Co-A-Li.pdf|publisher=Oriental Yeast Co., LTD.}}</ref> Aqueous solutions of coenzyme A are unstable above pH&nbsp;8, with 31% of activity lost after 24 hours at 25&nbsp;°C and pH&nbsp;8. CoA stock solutions are relatively stable when frozen at pH&nbsp;2–6. The major route of CoA activity loss is likely the air oxidation of CoA to CoA disulfides. CoA mixed disulfides, such as CoA-''S''–''S''-glutathione, are commonly noted contaminants in commercial preparations of CoA.<ref name="Dawson_2002" />  Free CoA can be regenerated from CoA disulfide and mixed CoA disulfides with reducing agents such as [[dithiothreitol]] or [[2-mercaptoethanol]].