ROS Defense Systems and Terminal Oxidases in Bacteria

Vitaliy B Borisov; Sergey A Siletsky; Martina R Nastasi; Elena Forte

doi:10.3390/antiox10060839

ROS Defense Systems and Terminal Oxidases in Bacteria

Antioxidants (Basel). 2021 May 24;10(6):839. doi: 10.3390/antiox10060839.

Authors

Vitaliy B Borisov¹, Sergey A Siletsky¹, Martina R Nastasi², Elena Forte²

Affiliations

¹ Belozersky Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russia.
² Department of Biochemical Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro, 5, 00185 Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) comprise the superoxide anion (O₂^•-), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂), hydroxyl radical (^•OH), and singlet oxygen (¹O₂). ROS can damage a variety of macromolecules, including DNA, RNA, proteins, and lipids, and compromise cell viability. To prevent or reduce ROS-induced oxidative stress, bacteria utilize different ROS defense mechanisms, of which ROS scavenging enzymes, such as superoxide dismutases, catalases, and peroxidases, are the best characterized. Recently, evidence has been accumulating that some of the terminal oxidases in bacterial respiratory chains may also play a protective role against ROS. The present review covers this role of terminal oxidases in light of recent findings.

Keywords: bacteria; oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; redox enzymes; terminal oxidases.

Publication types

Review

Abstract

Publication types

Grants and funding