title: Does copper (II) ethylenediaminetetraacetate disproportionate superoxide?
abstract: W. M. Willingham and J. R. J. Sorenson have recently reported [1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 150, 252-258) that the Cu(II)EDTA complex catalyzes the dismutation of O-2 and thereby call into question several earlier reports. These authors concluded that the widespread use of EDTA to suppress dismutation of O-2 by adventitious Cu(II) and other metals, during assays for superoxide dismutase, is unsound. We have undertaken a clarification of this issue by examining the ability of Cu(II)EDTA to catalyze the dismutation of O-2 and have found this complex to be devoid of this activity at pH 6.0 or at 7.8; whether assayed by the cytochrome c or the nitroblue tetrazolium assays. The probable reasons for the results of Willingham and Sorenson and some peculiarities of the nitroblue tetrazolium assay have been explored.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
authors.forename: W F
authors.initials: WF
authors.lastname: Beyer
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fridovich
mesh_terms: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D004492:Edetic Acid; D009580:Nitroblue Tetrazolium; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D013481:Superoxides
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D013481:Superoxides; D009580:Nitroblue Tetrazolium; D004492:Edetic Acid