Peroxidatic activity of mycobacteria and relation to catalase.

Winder, Frank G. (Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland). Peroxidatic activity of mycobacteria and relation to catalase. J. Bacteriol. 92:413-417. 1966.-Catalase from Mycobacterium smegmatis was purified about 50-fold. All fractions showed a ratio of peroxidatic activity to catalatic activity approximately the same as that of the crude extract, a ratio only about four times that given by catalase from Micrococcus lysodeikticus. This and other evidence strongly suggest that the peroxidatic activity of M. smegmatis is due to its catalase. Less complete evidence suggests that this is true in the case of Mycobacterium tuberculosis also. It is suggested that in the context of the mycobacteria the term "peroxidatic activity" should replace the term "peroxidase" unless evidence is found that a true peroxidase exists in these organisms.