title: Copper-zinc superoxide dismutase in Haemophilus species.
abstract: Copper-zinc superoxide dismutases ([Cu,Zn]-SODs) are ubiquitous in eukaryotes but have rarely been found in prokaryotes. A gene for [Cu,Zn]-SOD (sodC) has recently been cloned from Haemophilus influenzae type b and H. parainfluenzae, so other Haemophilus and related species were screened for the presence of [Cu,Zn]-SODs by visualization of bands of SOD activity in non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels and by gene probing. Strains of H. aphrophilus, H. paraphrophilus, H. haemolyticus, H. paraphrohaemolyticus, some non-typable H. influenzae, H. haemoglobinophilus (canis) and H. parasuis were all found to have [Cu,Zn]-SOD activity (inhibited by 2 mM-cyanide) in polyacrylamide gels. In a Southern blot analysis, DNA from H. aphrophilus, H. paraphrophilus, H. haemolyticus and [Cu,Zn]-SOD-containing non-typable H. influenzae--but not the other species--hybridized to a 360 nucleotide DNA probe containing the 5'-part of sodC cloned from H. influenzae type b. Bacterial [Cu,Zn]-SODs are more prevalent than has previously been recognized.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Molecular Medicine, Oxford University, John Radcliffe Hospital, UK.
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Langford
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Loynds
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Kroll
mesh_terms: D015139:Blotting, Southern; D003486:Cyanides / Q000494:pharmacology; D015342:DNA Probes; D006190:Haemophilus / Q000145:classification / Q000201:enzymology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000494:pharmacology; D010641:Phenotype; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000187:drug effects / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D003486:Cyanides; D015342:DNA Probes; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase