Microbial reactive oxygen species

Microbial reactive oxygen species refers collectively to oxygen-containing reactive chemicals such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and singlet oxygen, which are produced by microbes as metabolic byproducts, or generated by the host's immune cells (such as neutrophils and macrophages) as an antimicrobial defense mechanism[3][5]. These species are not a single protein or receptor but are crucial for oxidative killing of pathogens, act as signals in microbial and host cells, and can induce cell death or adaptation depending on context[3][5]. Chronic deficiencies in phagocyte ROS production (e.g., due to NADPH oxidase mutations in chronic granulomatous disease) result in susceptibility to infection[5]. "Microbial reactive oxygen species" is thus a process or chemical group, not a distinct, druggable molecular target.

Other names

Reactive oxygen speciesROSmicrobial ROSbacterial ROShost-derived ROS