I'm looking for a catalase that is able to work at low pHs (about pH 2-3).
From PubMed and Brenda database I was not able to find such a peculiar catalase.
Probably this low pH is not compatible with the catalytic mechanism of this enzyme, but maybe someone knows or has worked on an uncommon catalase.
I suggest you look for catalase in the genomes of acidophilic bacteria.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acidophile
Hi Gianluca, since most catalases have solvent exposed porphyrin groups coordinating the Fe, I doubt that any acid catalase that is active at pH 2-3 will have the same catalytic mechanism as classical catalases.
Dear Gianluca,
Catalase is present in honey and it is active in mild acidic condition of honey (pH =3.6)
This catalase originated from pollens/plants source. May be this type of catalase is suitable for your study.
Best wishes,
Hi Kamaruddin, this is very interesting!
Do you know of papers that have characterized plant catalases that are active at pH ~3?
@Shapiro Thank you for your suggestion. I'll have a look to those genomes.
@Kamaruddin Mohd Yusoff: it cold be interesting. Is there a reference about (as also asked by S.S. above?
The reference attached indicated the presence of catalase in honey. However, not much studies have been done to characterise the catalase enzyme itself. Our studies(unpublished) indicated that catalase was active at pH 3.6 as it controls the hydrogen peroxide level released when honey is diluted ( when honey is diluted hydrogen peroxide acts on glucose to release hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid). The pH of diluted (10%) honey is around 3.6.
It would be interesting to isolate catalase from honey and characterise it.
Hi Kamaruddin, if I understand this paper correctly, catalase activities were measured in raw unprocessed samples. Honey can have a pH from 3-6.
Is it possible that bacteria in honey are the source of catalase activity? H. pylori can live in an environment that has pH~1, and it has an intracellular catalase that is active from pH 6-9.
http://mic.sgmjournals.org/content/137/1/57.full.pdf
Hello Stefansson,
Actually no one has done a full study to identify the actual source of catalase in honey. The major components in honey are of plant origin. But bacteria ( non-pathogenic) have been detected in honey so your hypothesis is open to be tested.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Biological Science
- Biochemistry
- Biochemical Techniques
- Analytical Chemistry
- pH