Effects of molecular oxygen on detection of superoxide radical with nitroblue tetrazolium and on activity stains for catalase

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1984 · Anal. Biochem.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0003-2697(84)90204-5· OSTI ID:5418143

Clare, D A; Duong, M N; Darr, D; Archibald, F; Fridovich, I

The usual method of staining polyacrylamide gel electropherograms for superoxide dismutase activity utilizes a photochemical flux of O/sub 2//sup -/ to reduce nitroblue tetrazolium. Superoxide dismutases intercept O/sub 2//sup -/, preventing formazan production and thus causing achromatic bands. In the presence of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/, catalase also yield achromatic bands during this staining procedure. This is due to local elevation of pO/sub 2/ by the catalytic decomposition of H/sub 2/O/sub 2/. O/sub 2/, in turn, inhibits the reduction of the tetrazolium by O/sub 2//sup -/. This phenomenon provides a new activity stain for catalase. A previously described activity stain for catalase has also been reexamined and significantly improved.

• Research Organization: Duke Univ. Medical Center, Durham, NC
• OSTI ID: 5418143
• Journal Information: Anal. Biochem.; (United States), Vol. 140:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
CATALASE
CYTOCHEMISTRY
SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE
CHLORELLA
ELECTROPHORESIS
OXYGEN
SUPEROXIDE RADICALS
TETRAZOLIUM
ALGAE
AZOLES
BIOCHEMISTRY
CHEMISTRY
CHLORIDES
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ELEMENTS
ENZYMES
HALIDES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
MICROORGANISMS
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
PEROXIDASES
PLANTS
RADICALS
TETRAZOLES
UNICELLULAR ALGAE
550200* - Biochemistry
550700 - Microbiology