ABSTRACT
For more than 30 years, the only enzymatic system known to catalyze the elimination of superoxide was superoxide dismutase, SOD. SOD has been found in almost all organisms living in the presence of oxygen, including some anaerobic bacteria, supporting the notion that superoxide is a key and general component of oxidative stress. Recently, a new concept in the field of the mechanisms of cellular defense against superoxide has emerged. It was discovered that elimination of superoxide in some anaerobic and microaerophilic bacteria could occur by reduction, a reaction catalyzed by a small metalloenzyme thus named superoxide reductase, SOR. Having played a major role in this discovery, we describe here how the concept of superoxide reduction emerged and how it was experimentally substantiated independently in our laboratory.
Subject(s)
Oxidoreductases/physiology , Bacteria/enzymology , Bacteria/metabolism , Ferredoxins/metabolism , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , History, 20th Century , Kinetics , Oxidation-Reduction , Oxidoreductases/history , Sulfates/metabolism , Superoxide Dismutase/history , Superoxide Dismutase/physiologySubject(s)
Brain/enzymology , Mummies , Superoxide Dismutase/history , Germany, West , History, Ancient , Humans , Male , Superoxide Dismutase/analysisABSTRACT
The discovery of superoxide dismutase twenty years ago gave new meaning to work on erythrocuprein. This tribute to the achievement of Joe McCord and Irwin Fridovich is an account of experience of superoxide dismutase from old obscure copper protein of red blood cells to new exciting enzyme of oxygen free-radical metabolism, and an affirmation of the superoxide theory of oxygen toxicity.
