• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2006

The behaviour of alginate immobilized and soluble watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris) urease in water miscible organic solvents like, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide (DMF), ethanol, methanol, and propanol is described. The organic solvents exhibited a concentration dependent inhibitory effect on both the immobilized and the soluble urease in the presence of urea. Pretreatment of soluble enzyme preparations with organic solvents in the absence of substrate for 10 min at $30^{\circ}C$ led to rapid loss in the activity, while similar pretreatment of immobilized urease with 50% (v/v) of ethanol, propanol, and acetonitrile was ineffective. Time-dependent inactivation of immobilized urease, both in the presence and in the absence of urea, revealed stability for longer duration of time even at very high concentration of organic solvents. The soluble enzyme, on the other hand, was rapidly inactivated even at fairly lower concentrations. The results suggest that the immobilization of watermelon urease in calcium alginate make it suitable for its application in organic media. The observations are discussed.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.46-52
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• 2017

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-Helicobacter pylori activity of fractions and major aglycon compounds (baicalein, chrysin, oroxylin A, wogonin) of Scutellariae Radix. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) measurement, DPPH radical-scavenging assay, DNA protection assay, and urease inhibition analysis were performed. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction showed the potent anti-Helicobacter activity, and therefore, compounds in the EtOAc fraction were subjected to further assay. The MICs of chrysin, oroxylin A, and wogonin against Helicobacter pylori 26695 were 6.25, 12.5 and $25{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Baicalein exhibited the most effective DPPH radical-scavenging activity. DNA protection using Fenton reaction, chrysin, oroxylin A, and wogonin showed effective DNA protective effect. This result was also confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Regarding Jack bean urease (0.5 mg/mL, 50 unit/mg) inhibition, 20 mM ofbaicalein and chrysin inhibited urease activity by 88.2% and 72.5%, respectively.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 1989

This study was aimed to find out the influence of long-term fertilization for 21 years on soil enzyme activities in the silty clay loam textured normal paddy soil. Total urease activity (TUA) and the microbial urease activity (MUA) were shown to be changed significantly, but the accumulated urease activity (AUA) was similar within trial plots. Especially the MUA of the plots annually applied N.P.K. fertilizers with compost and N.P.K. fertilizers with silicate fertilizer were the highest among plots. The total L-glutaminase activity (TGA) and the accumulated L-glutaminase activity(AGA) were changed significantly among trial plots, but the microbial L-glutaminase activity (MGA) was not. By the simple correlation analysis, it was shown that the TGA and the AGA correlated highly significant to available phosphorus available $SiO_2$ content and pH. Addition of the toluene to the incubation mixture did not markedly affect the activity of phosphatase, but the difference of phosphatase activity among plots was significant. By the simple correlation analysis, it was shown that the phosphatase activity ; correlated highly significant to pH, available $SiO_2$, available phosphorus and exchangeable calcium in soils.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.251-261
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• 2009

In vitro physiological functions such as jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis) urease inhibitory activity and retarding effect of glucose/bile acid of Aloe vera gel concentrated by the optimized DIS (Dewatering Impregnation & Soaking) process conditions were examined. Urease inhibitory activity of DIS aloes ranged from 84.6 to 94.4%, which was similar to or higher than 86.3% of fresh aloe. Also, urease inhibitory activity of DIS aloes was maintained at initial levels after heat treatment (90$^{\circ}C$, 10 min.) and drying treatment (freeze or hot air drying). Urease inhibition pattern from Lineweaver-Burk plot indicated general non-competitive inhibition, and inhibition constants ($K_{IE}$ and $K_{IES}$) of DIS aloes were 41-149 and 87-163 $\mu$L/mL, respectively. DIS(glucose) and DIS(polyethylene glycol) exhibited the highest retarding effect of glucose and bile acid. Their retarding effects were about 1.6 and 1.8 folds higher than that of fresh aloe after 0.5 and 1 hr of the dialysis, respectively. Conclusively, the above in vitro physiological functions of Aloe vera gel concentrated by DIS process suggested that aloe products treated with DIS would have the potential benefits for protection against Helicobacter pylori and reduction of blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.108-112
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• 1994

The genetic organization of the urease gene cluster from an alkalophilic Bacillus pasteurii was determined by subcloning and Tn5 transposon mutagenesis of a 10.7 kilobasepair cloned fragment. A region of DNA between 5.0 and 6.0 kb in length is necessary for urease activity. In vitro transcription-translation analysis of transposon insertion mutants of the cloned urease genes demonstrated that the major ($M_r$ 67,000) and minor ($M_r$ 20,000) structural peptides of urease are encoded at one end of the urease gene cluster and at least 3 additional polypeptides are encoded by adjacent DNA sequences.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.5-8
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• 1999

Helicobacter pylori is the etiologic agent of human gastritis and peptic ulceration and produces urease as the major protein component on its surface. H. pylori urease is known to serve as a major virulence factor and a potent immunogen. Deletion mutageneses were performed in the H. pylori urease accessory genes by using combinations of restriction enzymes and other DNA modifying enzymes in order to assess the function of these accessory gene products in the expression of the active urease. Selective disruptions in the accessory gene regions resulted in complete abolishment of the urease activity, which is consistent with other bacterial ureases. Interestingly, deletions in ureE-containing regions caused reduced expression of the structural enzyme subunits.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.286-290
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• 2006

A genomic library of Streptococcus vestibularis ATCC49124 was constructed in an E. coli plasmid vector, and the urease-positive transformants harboring the urease gene cluster were isolated on Christensen-urea agar plates. The minimal DNA region required for urease activity was located in a 5.6 kb DNA fragment, and a DNA sequence analysis revealed the presence of a partial ureI gene and seven complete open reading frames, corresponding to ureA, B, C, E, F, G, and D, respectively. The nucleotide sequence over the entire ure gene cluster and 3'-end flanking region of S. vestibularis was up to 95% identical to that of S. salivarius, another closely related oral bacterium, and S. thermophilus, isolated from dairy products. The predicted amino acid sequences for the structural peptides were 98-100% identical to the corresponding peptides in S. salivarius and S. thermophilus, respectively, whereas those for the accessory proteins were 96-100% identical. The recombinant E. coli strain containing the S. vestibularis ure gene cluster expressed a high level of the functional urease holoenzyme when grown in a medium supplemented with 1 mM nickel chloride. The enzyme was purified over 49-fold by using DEAE-Sepharose FF, Superdex HR 200, and Mono-Q HR 5/5 column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 2,019 U/mg, and the Michaelis constant ($K_{m}$) of the enzyme was estimated to be 1.4 mM urea. A Superose 6HR gel filtration chromatography study demonstrated that the native molecular weight was about 196 kDa.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.58-63
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• 2004

Five urease-positive Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were isolated from Kamak Bay in Yeosu in 2002 and 2003. V. parahaemolyticus YKB4 and YKB14 were isolated from seawater, YFB20 from black rockfish (Sebastes schlegeli), and YFO2l and YFO22 from olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). The five urease-positive strains (YKB4, YKB14, YFB20, YFO21, and YFO22) did not show hemolysin and protease activity, while they did alter in color (to red) as the bacteria grew in the urea broth medium. All samples showed identical biochemical characteristics as a reference strain, V. parahaemolyticus KCTC2471, except in urease production. The five urease-positive strains showed urease activities at a mid stationary phase, and their activity was maximal in the late stationary phase of their culture supernatant. The addition of urea to the Luria-Bertani (LB) broth medium significantly affected the initial production of urease of V. parahaemolyticus isolates. Mortality by urease-positive V. parahaemolyticus YKB4, YKB14, YFO2l, and YFO22 was significantly high, being$60-80\%$, while YFB20 only reflected a rate of $20\%$. Protease-positive V. parahaemolyticus FM39 and FM50 showed a $40\%$ and $60\%$ mortality rate, respectively. However, hemolysin-positive V. parahaemolyticus had no mortality, like the non-pathogenic V. parahaemolyticus KCTC2471, while V. vulnificus resulted in a $40\%$ mortality rate. Injection with urease-positive V. parahaemolyticus strains showed mortality within 12 hrs in mice, and the strains could be isolated from the dead mice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2003

Helicobacter pylori is the etiologic agent of human gastritis and peptic ulceration and produces urease as the major protein component on its surface. H. pylori urease is known to serve as a major virulence factor and a potent immunogen. Recombinant H. pylori urease expressed in E. coli was purified by simple purification procedures utilizing (CNBr-activated Sepharose-anti-urease IgG immunoaffinity chromatography or epoxy- activated Sepharose-urea affinity chromatography. Urease was apparently bound so tightly to the anti-urease IgG resin that it could not be eluted at various elution conditions except at certain extreme pH 1, including 100 mM carbonate (pH 10.5) buffer solution, which was shown to elute slightly inactivated but relatively pure enzyme. Urease eluted from the epoxy-activated Sepharose-urea affinity column showed higher activity, but the smaller UreA subunit of the enzyme appeared as a Fainter band of diminished intensity when subjected to SDS-polyamide gel electrophoresis.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.217-220
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• 1979

Effects of nitrogen containing herbicides, Asulam(methyl-(4-aminobenzenesulphonyl)-carbamate), dimetametryne (2-methyl-4-ethylamino-6-(1,2-dimethyl propylamino)-S-triazine) and linuron (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-metoxy-1-methyl urea) at rates of 0.5,2,4 mg/100g soil on urease activity were studied in urea added and unadded soil by incubating at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ for 80 days. The enzyme activity was somewhat suppressed by asulam and dimetametryne in soils treated with urea. Unlike the above results, the enzyme activity in soil treated with linuron was kept higher as compared with that in soil treated with urea only.