Inhibition of Hydroxyquinol Auto-Oxidation by a Cell Extract of Trichosporon cutaneum

Abstract
A cell extract from acetate-grown Trichosporon cutaneum WY2-2 inhibited auto-oxidation of phenolics, especially that of hydroxyquinol. It prevented auto-oxidation of hydroxyquinol without direct interaction with hydroxyquinol. Bovine erythrocyte superoxide dismutase had similar characteristics as the cell extract, and the elution patterns of superoxide dismutase activity and of the inhibitory activity to hydroxyquinol auto-oxidation from a Sephadex G-150 column coincided. These results indicate that the inhibitory activity in the cell extract is mainly due to superoxide dismutase. High activity of superoxide dismutase (20–30 unit/mg protein) and its isozyme profiles suggest an intimate relation between the regulation of superoxide dismutase and catabolism of phenolics via hydroxyquinol.