enzyme-peroxidase

[sq]

Can you help me understand peroxidase? What is it's relationship to catalase? Is it the same thing? Where in the human body is it made? Any information that you can add to the very small amount that I currently have would be appreciated.
Thank you

[thank.darwin]

Well to answer your first question peroxidase and catalase are different but they preform the same reaction - they both break down hydrogen peroxide. Our bodies don't have peroxidase because it breaks down hydrogen peroxide. Now you are asking why don't we want hydrogen peroxide broken down - because it helps fight off viruses and many other harmful things and are a key part in our immune system.
Visit this site - it will explain why our bodies need H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)

http://www.h2o2.com/intro/overview.html

Hope that helps

[mith]

Umm....yes peroxide kills germs but it's not used by the body as a defensive mechanism. Peroxide is produced as a harmful byproduct of respiration. The body needs to break down peroxide because it is a powerful oxidizer and acts as a free radical. If peroxide builds up in the body, cellular damage may happen.

[thank.darwin]

Our bodies don't have peroxidase

Thats what I said - Hydrogen Peroxide can be turned into a powerful oxidizer not peroxidase... peroxidase breaks down H2O2 - most enzymes end in ase - peroxidASE

[mith]

Now you are asking why don't we want hydrogen peroxide broken down - because it helps fight off viruses and many other harmful things and are a key part in our immune system.
.... it will explain why our bodies need H2O2 (hydrogen peroxide)

Read my posting again, we don't need peroxide, it's harmful.

[Poison]

Peroxidase is the enzyme that breaks down H2O2. Hydrogen peroxide is a harmful product and needs to be broken down.
To sum up; we need peroxidase to break down H2O2 and we DO NOT use H2O2 in our bodies(neither as a defense mechanism, nor as anything else).

[thank.darwin]

Sorry Poison, I read that on a site - must have been bad information - thank-you for clarifying that.

[Poison]

It was a pleasure for me

[mith]

Make sure that the websites you visit are not sponsored by say...the UHPMA : United Hydrogen Peroxide Makers Amalgamated

[canalon]

To sum up; we need peroxidase to break down H2O2 and we DO NOT use H2O2 in our bodies(neither as a defense mechanism, nor as anything else).

Humm, in fact we do... For example you can look for "peroxisome" or "Hydrogen peroxide" in "Molecular biology of the cell" in Entrez Pubmed bookshelf (it is free) <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?CMD=search&DB=books>

To sum up we need peroxidase to break down H2O2 were it is harmfull, and we use H2O2 were its highly toxic effects are useful, i.e. as a defense mechanism.

Patrick

[thank.darwin]

Make sure that the websites you visit are not sponsored by say...the UHPMA : United Hydrogen Peroxide Makers Amalgamated

That's where I got my information... It didn't seem right to me...

[Poison]

To sum up we need peroxidase to break down H2O2 were it is harmfull, and we use H2O2 were its highly toxic effects are useful, i.e. as a defense mechanism.

OK. I c. BUt can you answer this: If we use H2O2 for some purpose why do we need to break it down? Do we break down the excess H2O2?