Catabolism of H2O2 is carried out by:
First, I remember that hydrogen peroxide is a reactive oxygen species that can be harmful if not neutralized. The body has several enzymes to deal with it. The main ones are catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase. Wait, but superoxide dismutase actually deals with superoxide radicals, not hydrogen peroxide directly. So maybe that's a distractor here.
Catalase is the primary enzyme that breaks down hydrogen peroxide into water and oxygen. The reaction is H2O2 → H2O + O2. Catalase is found in peroxisomes, which makes sense because peroxisomes are involved in detoxifying harmful substances.
Glutathione peroxidase also uses glutathione to reduce hydrogen peroxide. So both catalase and glutathione peroxidase are involved in H2O2 breakdown. But the question is about which enzyme is responsible for the catabolism. If the options included catalase, that would be the answer.
Wait, the user didn't list the options, but the correct answer provided is probably catalase. Let me check. The correct answer given is "Catalase", so the options must have included that. The other options might be something like superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, etc.
Now, why are the other options incorrect? Let's say the options are A. Superoxide dismutase, B. Glutathione reductase, C. Catalase, D. Peroxidase. Then:
- A. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) converts superoxide radicals into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide, but doesn't break down H2O2. So it's not the right answer here.
- B. Glutathione reductase regenerates glutathione, which is used by glutathione peroxidase. But it's not directly involved in H2O2 breakdown.
- D. Peroxidase uses hydrogen peroxide to oxidize other substrates, but doesn't catabolize it into water and oxygen. So that's different.
The clinical pearl here is that catalase deficiency, though rare, can lead to acatalasemia, where the body can't break down H2O2, leading to tissue damage. So remembering that catalase is key for H2O2 breakdown is important.
So the explanation should start with the core concept that catalase is the enzyme responsible. Then explain its mechanism, and why the other enzymes are not correct. The high-yield fact is the role of catalase in peroxisomes and its substrate.
**Core Concept**
Hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) is a reactive oxygen species detoxified by **catalase**, an enzyme that catalyzes its decomposition into water and oxygen. This reaction occurs in peroxisomes and is critical for preventing oxidative damage in cells.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Catalase (**Option C**) directly catabolizes H₂O₂ via the reaction **2 H₂O₂ → 2 H₂O + O₂