Reactive oxygen species generation in bacteria

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in bacteria refers to the metabolic and environmental production of reactive molecules such as superoxide anion, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and singlet oxygen during aerobic respiration, exposure to stress, antibiotics, or immune attack. These species damage bacterial DNA, proteins, and membranes, triggering antibacterial effects. Bacteria counteract ROS with multiple antioxidant systems (e.g., catalase, superoxide dismutase, regulatory genes like OxyR, SoxRS), and their ability to tolerate or neutralize ROS is key to their survival during infection or antibiotic treatment. Although the process is exploited in drug development (for example, redox-active antimicrobials), "ROS generation in bacteria" itself is not a single target but a group of processes and contributing molecular components.

Other names

ROS generation in bacteriaBacterial oxidative stress responseBacterial ROS production

Drug-induced ROS causes bacterial cell damage via oxidative stress to DNA, lipids, and proteins. Some antibiotics and nanozymes target this process to kill bacteria by overwhelming their antioxidant defences