title: Anaerobic microbes: oxygen detoxification without superoxide dismutase.
abstract: Superoxide reductase from the hyperthermophilic anaerobe Pyrococcus furiosus uses electrons from reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, by way of rubredoxin and an oxidoreductase, to reduce superoxide to hydrogen peroxide, which is then reduced to water by peroxidases. Unlike superoxide dismutase, the enzyme that protects aerobes from the toxic effects of oxygen, SOR does not catalyze the production of oxygen from superoxide and therefore confers a selective advantage on anaerobes. Superoxide reductase and associated proteins are catalytically active 80 degrees C below the optimum growth temperature (100 degrees C) of P. furiosus, conditions under which the organism is likely to be exposed to oxygen.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Center for Metalloenzyme Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7229, USA.
authors.forename: F E
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Jenney
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Verhagen
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Adams
mesh_terms: D000107:Acetylation; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000693:Anaerobiosis; D001421:Bacteria, Anaerobic / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics; D002384:Catalysis; D003574:Cytochrome c Group / Q000378:metabolism; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009249:NADP / Q000378:metabolism; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010088:Oxidoreductases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism*; D019711:Pyrococcus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics; D012416:Rubredoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000378:metabolism; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D013696:Temperature; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D003574:Cytochrome c Group; D012416:Rubredoxins; D014867:Water; D013481:Superoxides; D009249:NADP; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D010088:Oxidoreductases; C121849:superoxide reductase; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase