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PubMed1976

The elimination of urease activity in Streptococcus faecium as evidence for plasmid-coded urease.

A strain of Streptococcus faecium from the sheep rumen showed spontaneous loss of urease activity when subcultured at the normal rumen temperature of 38 degrees C, although in mixed cultures in vivo or in vitro loss of urease was not apparent. The rate of loss of urease in pure cultures was increased at incubation temperatures above 38 degrees C, but loss was never complete. However, at temperatures below 38 degrees C loss was greater, and at 22 or 18 degrees C the urease was completely eliminated. Incubation with sodium dodecyl sulphate (0-002%) or ethidium bromide (2-5 X 10(-5)M) caused complete loss of urease activity. The urease activity was also eliminated when the streptococcus was grown aerobically, and this loss of activity was irreversible. It is suggested that the urease activity is controlled by a plasmid gene and that aeration, low growth temperature and chemical agents 'cure' the streptococcus of the plasmid. Attempts to demonstrate the presence of covalently closed circular extrachromosomal DNA by caesium chloride-ethidium bromide equilibrium density-gradient centrifugation were unsuccessful.

Aerobiosis↗

PubMed1991

A survey of yeast ureases and characterisation of partially purified Rhodosporidium paludigenum urease.

Cell-free extracts of a selection of yeasts were analysed for urease activity. Species in the genera Filobasidiella, Rhodotorula and Rhodosporidium had the highest specific activities. Immune inactivation experiments showed widely different degrees of cross-reactivity between antiserum to jack bean urease and yeast ureases, with Rhodosporidium paludigenum (71%) the most and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (3%) the least affected. Only R. paludigenum urease was detected with anti-jack bean urease antiserum on Western blots. The urease of Rhodosporidium paludigenum was partially purified by column chromatography. The native enzyme was found to have a subunit size of 72 +/- 7 kDa probably in an octamer arrangement of 560 +/- 8 kDa, having a specific activity of 62.5 mumol urea hydrolysed min-1 (mg protein)-1. The enzyme was stable in the pH range 5-11 with optimum activity at pH 7.8. Vmax and Km values were determined as 65.2 +/- 3.8 mumol min-1 (mg protein)-1 and 3.81 +/- 0.47 mM, respectively.

Basidiomycota↗

PubMed2004

Production of anti-Helicobacter pylori urease-specific immunoglobulin in egg yolk using an antigenic epitope of H. pylori urease.

The potential therapeutic effects of Helicobacter pylori-specific immunoglobulin (IgY-Hp) derived from egg yolk and identification of the immunodominant H. pylori proteins have previously been reported. In this study, the urease epitope that is recognized by IgY-Hp was identified and used as an immunogen to produce urease-specific IgY (IgY-HpU). Epitope regions were mapped and peptides of selected epitope regions were synthesized. The IgY-Hp titre against synthetic peptides was evaluated using ELISA analysis. Hens were immunized with synthetic peptides conjugated with BSA. Urease activity was quantified by measuring the optical density of an indicator dye. Of the five synthetic peptides assayed, a peptide representing 15 amino acid residues of UreB (UB-3; aa 396-410, DNDNFRIKRYLSKYT) was specifically recognized by the IgY-Hp. Immunization of hens with BSA-conjugated UB-3 resulted in the generation of IgY-HpU. IgY-HpU markedly reduced H. pylori urease activity by 80 % as compared to control IgY (IgY-BSA). The availability of the synthetic UreB-derived peptide enabled the production of highly specific anti-urease IgY, which had a significant inhibitory effect on H. pylori urease activity. Therefore, specific IgY-HpU produced using the synthetic peptide may be an effective tool against infection by H. pylori.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

Urease assay and urease-producing species of anaerobes in the bovine rumen and human feces.

A growth medium and test were developed for rapid detection of urease in fermentative anaerobic bacteria. Using nonselective rumen fluid roll-tube agar medium and the new test, it was confirmed that Peptostreptococcus productus is often the most numerous urease-forming species in human feces. Also, some fecal strains of Ruminococcus albus, Clostridium innocuum, and Clostridium beijerinckii produced urease. Single strains of Fusobacterium prausnitzii, Coprococcus catus, and Streptococcus mitis that were strongly ureolytic on isolation later lost this ability. Urease activity was also detected in many strains of nonselectively isolated rumen species. They include Succinivibrio dextrinosolvens, Treponema sp., Ruminococcus bromii (not previously known to be present in the rumen), Butyrivibrio sp., Bifidobacterium sp., Bacteroides ruminicola, and P. productus. Most P. productus strains contain urease; however, the uniformity of this feature in the other species noted above is not known. The urease in many of these species was not detected if the growth medium contained 0.2% or more (each) yeast extract and Trypticase.

Ammonia↗

PubMed2003

UreR, the transcriptional activator of the Proteus mirabilis urease gene cluster, is required for urease activity and virulence in experimental urinary tract infections.

Proteus mirabilis, a cause of complicated urinary tract infection, produces urease, an essential virulence factor for this species. UreR, a member of the AraC/XylS family of transcriptional regulators, positively activates expression of the ure gene cluster in the presence of urea. To specifically evaluate the contribution of UreR to urease activity and virulence in the urinary tract, a ureR mutation was introduced into P. mirabilis HI4320 by homologous recombination. The isogenic ureR::aphA mutant, deficient in UreR production, lacked measurable urease activity. Expression was not detected in the UreR-deficient strain by Western blotting with monoclonal antibodies raised against UreD. Urease activity and UreD expression were restored by complementation of the mutant strain with ureR expressed from a low-copy-number plasmid. Virulence was assessed by transurethral cochallenge of CBA mice with wild-type and mutant strains. The isogenic ureR::aphA mutant of HI4320 was outcompeted in the urine (P = 0.004), bladder (P = 0.016), and kidneys (P < or = 0.001) 7 days after inoculation. Thus, UreR is required for basal urease activity in the absence of urea, for induction of urease by urea, and for virulence of P. mirabilis in the urinary tract.

Animals↗

PubMed1990

Precipitation of struvite in urine medium by urease-positive and urease-negative Yersinia strains.

Yersinia strains either urease-positive or urease-negative were examined for precipitation of struvite in human urine at 25 and 37 degrees C. All urease-positive strains and 8 out of 10 urease-negative strains showed the ability to produce these crystals. Incubation time required for precipitation was longer for urease-negative strains and quantity of struvite formed was higher in urease-positive ones. Regarding incubation temperature, no significant influence has been observed.

Humans↗

PubMed1994

Urease from Staphylococcus saprophyticus: purification, characterization and comparison to Staphylococcus xylosus urease.

Urease from Staphylococcus saprophyticus was purified more than 800-fold by liquid chromatography reaching homogeneity, as shown by isoelectric focussing, at a maximum specific activity of 1979 U/mg. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was 420,000; it consisted of subunits with molecular weights of 72,400 (alpha), 20,400 (beta), 13,900 (gamma) in an estimated (alpha beta gamma)4 stoichiometry. In native gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis urease exhibited a multiple activity band pattern with molecular weights ranging from 420,000 to 100,000. In the native enzyme, 4.09 (+/- 0.25) atoms of nickel per molecule were detected. The N-terminal amino acids of the urease subunits were identical to those from Staphylococcus xylosus, and amino acid analysis revealed high similarities in both enzymes; no cysteine was detected after acid hydrolysis of vinylpyridinylated urease. Electron micrographs of negatively stained urease specimens from both staphylococci showed identical size and structure.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2000

UreE stimulation of GTP-dependent urease activation in the UreD-UreF-UreG-urease apoprotein complex.

The activation of metal-containing enzymes often requires the participation of accessory proteins whose roles are poorly understood. In the case of Klebsiella aerogenes urease, a nickel-containing enzyme, metallocenter assembly requires UreD, UreF, and UreG acting as a protein chaperone complex and UreE serving as a nickel metallochaperone. Urease apoprotein within the UreD-UreF-UreG-urease apoprotein complex is activated to wild-type enzyme activity levels under physiologically relevant conditions (100 microM bicarbonate and 20 microM Ni2+) in a process that requires GTP and UreE. The GTP concentration needed for optimal activation is greatly reduced in the presence of UreE compared to that required in its absence. The amount of UreE provided is critical, with maximal activation observed at a concentration equal to that of Ni2+. On the basis of its ability to facilitate urease activation in the presence of chelators, UreE is proposed to play an active role in transferring Ni2+ to urease apoprotein. Studies involving site-directed variants of UreE provide evidence that His96 has a direct role in metal transfer. The results presented here parallel those obtained from previous in vivo studies, demonstrating the relevance of this in vitro system to the cellular metallocenter assembly process.

Apoproteins↗

PubMed2001

Canatoxin, a toxic protein from jack beans (Canavalia ensiformis), is a variant form of urease (EC 3.5.1.5): biological effects of urease independent of its ureolytic activity.

Canatoxin is a toxic protein from Canavalia ensiformis seeds, lethal to mice (LD(50)=2 mg/kg) and insects. Further characterization of canatoxin showed that its main native form (184 kDa) is a non-covalently linked dimer of a 95 kDa polypeptide containing zinc and nickel. Partial sequencing of internal peptides indicated homology with urease (EC 3.5.1.5) from the same seed. Canatoxin has approx. 30% of urease's activity for urea, and K(m) of 2-7 mM. The proteins differ in their affinities for metal ions and were separated by affinity chromatography on a Zn(2+) matrix. Similar to canatoxin, urease activates blood platelets and interacts with glycoconjugates. In contrast with canatoxin, no lethality was seen in mice injected with urease (10 mg/kg). Pretreatment with p-hydroxymercuribenzoate irreversibly abolished the ureolytic activity of both proteins. On the other hand, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate-treated canatoxin was still lethal to mice, and both treated proteins were fully active in promoting platelet aggregation and binding to glycoconjugates. Taken together, our data indicate that canatoxin is a variant form of urease. Moreover, we show for the first time that these proteins display several biological effects that are unrelated to their enzymic activity for urea.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

HLA-DR expression on CD8 lymphocytes from gastric mucosa in urease-positive and urease-negative gastritis.

We isolated lymphocytes from chronically inflamed gastric mucosa. We analysed the expression of IL-2 receptors (CD25), transferin receptors (CD71) and HLA-DR molecules on T lymphocytes by flow cytometric analysis in 16 patients with urease-positive and in 7 patients with urease-negative chronic gastritis. In G0, G1 and G2 histological type (Sydney classification) of gastritis the number of lymphocytes obtained from the gastric mucosa biopsies was too low for the flow cytometric analysis. However, in G3 histological type of chronic gastritis we obtained enough cells for the flow cytometric analysis in 75%. We demonstrated a significant increase in HLA-DR expression on CD8 cells from patients with urease-positive gastritis compared to urease-negative gastritis. We also observed a statistically non-significant increase in HLA-DR expression on CD3 cells, and in CD71 expression on both CD3 and CD8 cells in urease-positive gastritis. However, no difference in CD25 expression was found between the two types of gastritis.

CD3 Complex↗

PubMed1991

Characterisation of the urease from Helicobacter pylori and comparison with the ureases from related spiral gastric bacteria.

The urease enzyme of Helicobacter pylori was partially purified from whole cell extracts and found to have a molecular weight of 484 +/- 12 kDa. Ten monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were produced against four different epitopes of the native enzyme. These mAbs also recognised the ureases of H. pylori-like organisms isolated from monkeys and pigs and the H. mustelae urease from ferrets. The urease enzymes of each of these organisms were found to be of the same molecular weight. The urease enzyme of H. pylori consisted of two subunits of 68.2 and 31.3 kDa.

Animals↗

PubMed1981

Role of urease in the formation of infection stones: comparison of ureases from different sources.

Bacterial and vegetable ureases were found to differ in certain important respects. For maximal clinical relevance, in vitro studies on the pathogenic role of urease should use whole bacterial cells of Proteus spp., and urease inhibitors should be assessed without preincubation of enzyme with inhibitor. Urease from Proteus morganii was very different from ureases of other species of Proteus; this factor should be taken into account when infections with P. morganii are being treated.

Calculi↗

PubMed1989

Proteus mirabilis urease: nucleotide sequence determination and comparison with jack bean urease.

Proteus mirabilis, a common cause of urinary tract infection, produces a potent urease that hydrolyzes urea to NH3 and CO2, initiating kidney stone formation. Urease genes, which were localized to a 7.6-kilobase-pair region of DNA, were sequenced by using the dideoxy method. Six open reading frames were found within a region of 4,952 base pairs which were predicted to encode polypeptides of 31.0 (ureD), 11.0 (ureA), 12.2 (ureB), 61.0 (ureC), 17.9 (ureE), and 23.0 (ureF) kilodaltons (kDa). Each open reading frame was preceded by a ribosome-binding site, with the exception of ureE. Putative promoterlike sequences were identified upstream of ureD, ureA, and ureF. Possible termination sites were found downstream of ureD, ureC, and ureF. Structural subunits of the enzyme were encoded by ureA, ureB, and ureC and were translated from a single transcript in the order of 11.0, 12.2, and 61.0 kDa. When the deduced amino acid sequences of the P. mirabilis urease subunits were compared with the amino acid sequence of the jack bean urease, significant amino acid similarity was observed (58% exact matches; 73% exact plus conservative replacements). The 11.0-kDa polypeptide aligned with the N-terminal residues of the plant enzyme, the 12.2-kDa polypeptide lined up with internal residues, and the 61.0-kDa polypeptide matched with the C-terminal residues, suggesting an evolutionary relationship of the urease genes of jack bean and P. mirabilis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Distribution of the urease gene cluster among and urease activities of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli O157 isolates from humans.

Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157 strains belong to two closely related major groups, which are differentiated by their sorbitol fermentation phenotypes. Here we studied the conservation of urease genes and their expression in sorbitol-fermenting (SF) and non-SF EHEC O157 isolates. PCR targeting ure genes (ureA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, and -G) demonstrated that each of these genes was present in 58 of 59 EHEC O157:H7 isolates. In contrast, none of 82 SF EHEC O157:NM (nonmotile) isolates contained any of the ure genes. Hence, the absence of the urease genes distinguishes SF EHEC O157:NM strains from EHEC O157:H7, but this absence demonstrates that the urease genes are not useful genetic targets for the detection of EHEC strains, because SF EHEC O157:NM strains are missed by such a strategy. When examined for urease activity on Christensen agar and in the API 20E system, only one O157:H7 strain displayed urease activity and produced elevated levels of ammonia, which was subsequently confirmed by ammonia electrode measurement. Because the ure genes were absent from each of nine strains of E. coli O55:H7, the proposed progenitor of EHEC O157, we hypothesize that EHEC O157:H7 diverged from the evolutionary pathway at an early stage and then acquired the O islands carrying the ure gene cluster.

Diarrhea↗

PubMed1992

Use of an ammonia electrode for rapid quantification of Helicobacter pylori urease: its use in the endoscopy room and in the assessment of urease inhibition by bismuth subsalicylate.

The use of an ammonia electrode to quantify ammonia liberated by urease from Helicobacter pylori was assessed in an in vitro study. It was found to be highly sensitive (down to 0.7 ppm NH3) and highly reproducible (coefficient of variation 6.0%). Inhibition of urease by bismuth subsalicylate was evaluated as urease testing is often used to assess clearance of H. pylori in patients treated with bismuth. Concentrations of bismuth subsalicylate up to 5 mg/ml had no inhibitory effect but bismuth subsalicylate at 50 mg/ml resulted in 21% inhibition of the urease activity of an ultrasonicated H. pylori suspension. As a preliminary study, the ammonia electrode was assessed in the endoscopy room in comparison with conventional techniques for H. pylori diagnosis. Antral biopsies from 39 patients attending for routine diagnostic endoscopy were subjected to culture, histology, detection of urease activity with a commercially available slide test (CLO) and with the ammonia electrode to detect ammonia liberated from samples placed in urea solution. 21 patients were positive after 1 h with the ammonia electrode, compared to only 17 with the commercially available slide test. 20 were positive on histology and 19 by culture. All samples positive with the ammonia electrode were either positive by culture or by histology. The ammonia electrode offers a quick, sensitive, quantitative and cheap method for the detection and quantification of H. pylori.

Ammonia↗

PubMed2000

Encapsulation of Urease and PEG-Urease in erythrocyte.

Erythrocytes can be used to entrap drugs, enzymes or other molecules with active properties, with various encapsulation procedures. The carrier is nonimmunogenic, biodegradable, and circulates freely throughout the body. Urease was covalently immobilized on activated methoxypolyethyleneglycol-5000 (PEG-5000) (1:3 molar ratio). Urease and PEG-Urease were encapsulated in erythrocyte (1/1) (v/v) by using slow dialysis methods. To optimize the loading of erythrocyte, the above base procedure was varied to test the effect of some parameters. Dialysis time, dialysis temperature, storage condition for erythrocyte conjugate, Urease and PEG-Urease concentration were investigated.

Cell Size↗

PubMed1994

Essential role of Helicobacter pylori urease in gastric colonization: definite proof using a urease-negative mutant constructed by gene replacement.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the involvement of urease in Helicobacter pylori colonization in the nude mouse stomach by using a genetically defined urease-negative mutant. METHODS AND RESULTS: Through electroporation-mediated gene replacement, one of the urease genes of an H. pylori strain, CYP3401, was disrupted by insertion of a kanamycin-resistance determinant to construct a stable urease-negative mutant, HPT73. Southern analysis confirmed that gene replacement was achieved. The two isogenic strains were introduced into the stomachs of nude mice, and the number of H. pylori and the histological changes in the stomachs were investigated 1 or 4 weeks after the challenge. Gastritis was present in the CPY3401-challenged stomach, from which bacteria indistinguishable from CPY3401 were successfully recovered. In contrast, no gastritis was found in the HPT73-challenged stomach, and H. pylori was not recovered from these stomachs. CONCLUSION: H. pylori urease is essential for colonization of the nude mouse stomach.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Bacillus pasteurii urease shares with plant ureases the ability to induce aggregation of blood platelets.

Ureases (EC 3.5.1.5) are highly homologous enzymes found in plants, bacteria and fungi. Canatoxin, an isoform Canavalia ensiformis urease, has several biological properties unrelated to its ureolytic activity, like platelet-aggregating and pro-inflammatory effects. Here, we describe that Bacillus pasteurii urease (BPU) also induces aggregation of rabbit platelets, similar to the canatoxin-induced effect (ED(50) 0.4 and 0.015 mg/mL, respectively). BPU induced-aggregation was blocked in platelets pretreated with dexamethasone and esculetin, a phospholipase A(2) and a lipoxygenase inhibitor, respectively, while platelets treated with indomethacin, a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, showed increased response to BPU. Methoxyverapamil (Ca(2+) channel blocker) and AMP (ADP antagonist) abrogated urease-induced aggregation, whereas the PAF-acether antagonist Web2170 had no effect. We concluded that platelet aggregation induced by BPU is mediated by lipoxygenase-derived eicosanoids and secretion of ADP from the platelets through a calcium-dependent mechanism. Potential relevance of these findings for bacterium-plant interactions and pathogenesis of bacterial infections are discussed.

Animals↗