Superoxide dismutase activity of Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum

Superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) (SOD) activity has been detected in crude cell extracts of representative strains of the Mycobacterium avium, M. intracellulare, and M. scrofulaceum (MAIS) group. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis demonstrated a single SOD activity band for each of the MAIS strains, though there were differences in mobility. All M. avium and M. intracellulare and two of five M. scrofulaceum strains demonstrated a single activity band of identical mobility (Rf = 0.83), while the SOD activity band for the three remaining M. scrofulaceum strains migrated farther (Rf = 0.85). The differences in mobility correlated with differences in sensitivity to NaN3 and H2O2. The SOD activities of the majority of the MAIS strains which displayed the slower-migrating activity band were inhibited 22 to 81% after 15 min of exposure to 5 mM H2O2, suggesting that both iron and manganese may be present in a single enzyme. The SOD activities of the three M. scrofulaceum strains which had the faster-migrating activity band were inhibited 100% after only 5 min of exposure to 5 mM H2O2 and exhibited greater sensitivity to 5 and 10 mM NaN3, characteristics of an iron-containing SOD. A concentration of 1 mM KCN did not cause inhibition of enzyme activity in any of the MAIS strains tested. Extracellular SOD activity was detected in four of six MAIS strains and was shown to be identical in mobility to the SOD activity of the crude extracts.