J. Canvin et al., IDENTIFICATION OF SODC ENCODING PERIPLASMIC [CU,ZN]-SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE IN SALMONELLA, FEMS microbiology letters, 136(2), 1996, pp. 215-220
sodC, encoding [Cu,Zn]-cofactored superoxide dismutase, once thought t
o be virtually confined to eukaryotes, has now been described in many
Gram-negative pathogens that have their primary niche of colonization
in the upper respiratory tract. Their role in host-parasite interactiv
e biology is unknown. We here show that members of the major human and
animal enteric pathogenic species Salmonella harbour a version of sod
C most closely resembling that found in Brucella abortus. The enzyme i
t encodes is a novel candidate determinant of virulence in Salmonella,
an intracellular pathogen potentially exposed to toxic oxygen free ra
dicals within its intracellular niche.