Catalase-Aminotriazole Method for Measuring Secretion of Hydrogen Peroxide by Microorganisms

Abstract

A new method for measuring the secretion of H 2 O 2 has been based upon an H 2 O 2 -dependent inhibition of catalase by 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole. The conversion of an H 2 O 2 -secretion rate into a catalase inhibition rate amplified a relatively small molar concentration of H 2 O 2 and provided a highly specific and sensitive method for quantitatively measuring H 2 O 2 . A major advantage of this approach is that it does not require extensive accumulation of H 2 O 2 in the environment. The method was successfully employed to measure H 2 O 2 secretion by Mycoplasma pneumoniae , which possesses a peroxidase-like activity that limits the accumulation of H 2 O 2 in the environment.