Copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD). superoxide dismutases catalyse the conversion of superoxide radicals to molecular oxygen. Three evolutionarily distinct families of SODs are known, of which the copper/zinc-binding family is one. Defects in the human SOD1 gene causes familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (Lou Gehrig's disease). Cytoplasmic and periplasmic SODs exist as dimers, whereas chloroplastic and extracellular enzymes exist as tetramers. Structure supports independent functional evolution in prokaryotes (P-class) and eukaryotes (E-class) [PMID:8176730].