On 'Intracellular production of superoxide radical and of hydrogen peroxide by redox active compounds' by H. Moustafa Hassan, Irwin Fridovich

Abstract

This commentary discusses how the idea of employing redox cycling compounds to generate partially reduced oxygen species (O2−, H2O2, HO.) to cause oxidative stress in the model organism, Escherichia coli, was born. The concept was materialized during our studies on the induction and regulation of the Mn-superoxide dismutase in this unicellular organism. I described how the findings revolutionized the field of oxygen free radicals and oxidative stress and demonstrated its continued relevance and impact to the field today and most probably in the future.