Regulation of the oxidative stress protective enzymes, catalase and superoxide dismutase in Xanthomonas--a review.

Xanthomonas showed atypical regulation of catalase (Kat) and superoxide dismutase with respect to growth phase and response to various inducers. The highest levels of both enzymes were detected during early log phase of growth and declined as growth continued. This was in contrast to resistance levels to superoxides, H2O2 and organic peroxides, which reached maximum levels during stationary phase. Xanthomonas catalase was induced over six fold by superoxide generators and methyl methane sulfonate but weakly by H2O2. The regulation pattern of these enzymes could be important during plant/microbe interactions. To facilitate elucidation of Xanthomonas kat gene regulation, highly conserved regions of monofuctional Kat amino acid sequences were used to synthesize oligodeoxyribonucleotide primers for use in PCR reactions with Xanthomonas genomic DNA as templates. The Xanthomonas-specific PCR kat probe was used to isolate a functional kat from Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli.