Computer graphics representation of manganese superoxide dismutase,an enzyme involved in aerobic respiration. This enzyme,from the bacterium,Bacillus stearothermophilus,scavenges & decomposes the potentially toxic first reduction product,superoxide,of aerobic respiration. A family of such enzymes exists,each capable of binding to different metal ions,found at different locations in the organism. Here,a dimer of two superoxide dismutase subunits is seen bound to a single manganese atom (in green). The alpha carbon backbone of each monomer appears as either a red or blue ribbon |