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J Bacteriol. 1968 April; 95(4): 1425-1430
Copyright © 1968 American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Relation of Catalase to Substrate Utilization by Mycoplasma pneumoniae

¹ Department of Bacteriology and Immunology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115

ABSTRACT

No catalase activity was detected in four strains of glucose-grown Mycoplasma pneumoniae at any time during the replication of the organism. Exogenous catalase dramatically increased the O₂ uptake with glycerol, presumably by releasing inhibition caused by hydrogen peroxide. The effect of added catalase on the O₂ uptake of washed organisms with glucose as substrate was moderate and variable in degree. The production of hydrogen peroxide was demonstrated by the quantitative enzymatic assay for inorganic peroxide and by the fact that added pyruvate, which is non-enzymatically oxidized by H₂O₂ to acetic acid and CO₂ could mimic the action of catalase.