Catalase
is a common enzyme found in nearly all living organisms which are exposed to
oxygen, where it functions to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide
to water and oxygen (Gaetani et al, 1996) catalase has one of the highest
turnover numbers of all enzymes.
The
reaction of catalase in the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide is:
2H202 -------} 2H20 + 02
Hydrogen
peroxide is a harmful by product of many normal metabolic processes (Gaetani et
al, 1996).To
prevent damage, it must be quickly converted into other, less
dangerous substances. To this end, catalase is frequently used by cells to
rapidly catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide into less reactive
gaseous oxygen and water molecules. The peroxisomal disorder acatalasia is due
to a deficiency in the function of catalase (Ho et al, 2004).