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The experiments revealed that instead of iron, Borrelia uses that element’s next-door neighbor on the periodic table, manganese, in important Borrelia enzymes. One of these is superoxide dismutase. It protects the pathogens against another cellular defense mechanism: bombarding pathogens with superoxide radicals—highly reactive molecules that cause damage within the pathogens. Superoxide dismutase is like an antioxidant that neutralizes the superoxides so that the pathogens can continue to grow.
The experiments revealed that instead of iron, Borrelia uses that element’s next-door neighbor on the periodic table, manganese, in important Borrelia enzymes. One of these is superoxide dismutase. It protects the pathogens against another cellular defense mechanism: bombarding pathogens with superoxide radicals—highly reactive molecules that cause damage within the pathogens. Superoxide dismutase is like an antioxidant that neutralizes the superoxides so that the pathogens can continue to grow.
