Final answer:
Antioxidant enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase, evolved to protect microbes from toxic ROS by neutralizing and eliminating them.
Step-by-step explanation:
The enzymes that evolved to protect microbes from toxic reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) are called antioxidant enzymes.
These enzymes work to neutralize and eliminate ROIs, preventing damage to the microbe's DNA, proteins, and other cellular components.
Examples of antioxidant enzymes include superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase.
Superoxide dismutase converts superoxide radicals into hydrogen peroxide, which is then broken down by catalase and glutathione peroxidase.
These enzymes play an important role in maintaining the overall health and survival of microbes in the presence of ROIs.
Not only do these enzymes protect microbes, but they are also found in many other organisms, including plants and animals, as part of their defense mechanisms against oxidative stress.