Background: Human thioredoxin (hTRX) is a 12 kDa cellular redox protein that has been shown to play an important role in the activation of a number of transcriptional and translational regulators via a thiol-redox mechanism. This activity may be direct or indirect via another redox protein known as Ref-1. The structure of a complex of hTRX with a peptide comprising its target from the transcription factor NFκB has previously been solved. To further extend our knowledge of the recognition by and interaction of hTRX with its various targets, we have studied a complex between hTRX and a Ref-1 peptide. This complex represents a kinetically stable mixed disulfide intermediate along the reaction pathway.