Abstract
Summary and Discussion
Our experiments show that dilute solutions of crystalline catalase, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, can peroxidize a variety of compounds. α-Naphthol and p-phenylenediamine are oxidized to indophenol purple; p-aminobenzoic acid, sulfathiazole, adrenalin, ephedrine sulphate, and tyrosine, are coupled with catechol by oxidation to form colored compounds. Pyrogallol, catechol, adrenalin and p-phenylenediamine are oxidized by catalase and hydrogen peroxide. Related compounds (m-aminobenzoic acid, sulfadiazine) are also oxidized. A commercial crystalline catalase preparation, as well as crude horse radish peroxidase gave similar results. A catalase solution which had been boiled for 5 minutes did not give the described reactions.
The difference between catalases and peroxidases is: catalases can act as peroxidases but peroxidases can not act as catalases (decompose hydrogen peroxide without the presence of a second substrate). The present experiments are in full harmony with Theorell's theory which states that catalases are a special group of peroxidases.
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