• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.4 s.84
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• pp.581-586
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• 2007

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a coagulase-negative, gram-positive bacterium that normally inhabits the human skin. S. epidermidis is also known to be an opportunistic pathogen in infections of various indwelling medical devices. This report describes purification and characterization of the urease of S. epidermidis urease, which may act as a virulence factor. The urease from S. epidermidis was purified 1,127 fold by using DEAE-Sepharose, Phenyl-Sepharose, Mono-Q and Superdex HR200 column chromatography. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 993.8 U/mg. Michaelis constant($K_m$) of the enzyme was estimated to be 8.5 mM urea by using Lineweaver-Burke double reciprocal plot. The native molecular weight of the urease was shown to be 255 kD by using Superose 6HR gel filtration chromatography and the purified enzyme contained 2.2 nickel ions per catalytic unit. The overall stoichiometry of the enzyme subunits appears to be $(\alpha\beta\gamma)_3$, which is consistent with the enzymes from other bacteria sources.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.535-545
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• 1999

Crease of Streptococcus salivarius is believed to play a critical role in bacterial ecology and pH homeostasis in the mouth, and consequently affect the pathogenesis of dental caries and periodontal diseases. Expression of the urease gene is greatly enhanced by low p. f. excess of Carbohydrate, and faster growth. It was observed that urease activity of the strains of S. salivarius that exhibited no of low urease activity was not increased even in low pH condition. In this study, it was hypothesized that the urease gene of the strains is absent, defected, or greatly changed by genetic combination. In order to prove this hypothesis, chromosomes were obtained from 28 S. salivarius strains which had been isolated from normal teeth and carious lesions, subjected to polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers encoding highly conserved sequence from ureC, and then the obtained PCR products were compared. The results were as follows: 1. After PCR the strains generated either one of 0.54- and 1.3-kbp PCR products, or none. 2. All 16 strains having a higher urease activity(<50${\mu}mol/min/mg$) produced 0.54-kbp PCR products. 3. Twelve strains without urease activity and with a lower urease activity(<50${\mu}mol/min/mg$) yield either one of 0.54 and 1.3-kbp PCR products, or none. 4. The DNA sequence of the 0.54-kbp PCR product (pCAP-0.54) exhibited 95% identity to the ureC of S. salivarus 57.I; 30bp were found to be different, which led to difference of only 2 amino acids in the sequence. 5. The DNA sequence of the 1.3-kbp PCR product(pCAP-1.3) was found to be highly homologous to the aminopeptidase C gene of Streptococcus thermophilus. Overall results indicate that there are considerable variations of the urease genes from S. salivarus strains and the variations may affect the uncolytic activity of the bacteria directly of indirectly.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2008

For physiological function of aloe concentrate by ultrafiltration (UF) process, jack bean urease inhibitory activity and bentonite flocculating activity of UF aloe concentrate was investigated and compared with fresh aloe gel. Urease inhibitory activity of UF aloe concentrate ranged from 87 to 90% in 1 mL sample. Also, urease inhibitory activity of UF aloe concentrate increased about 10% by heat treatment showing the heat stability. From Lineweaver-Burk plot for UF aloe concentrate, urease inhibition pattern indicated general non-competitive inhibition. From flocculation test of UF aloe concentrate about 1% (w/v) bentonite suspension, maximum flocclulating activity of 97% was obtained at 0.5 mL addition of UF aloe concentrate/ 5 ml bentonite suspension. However, flocculating activity of 81% was obtained at 1 mL addition of UF aloe concentrate/ 5 mL bentonite suspension, which was typical flocculating behavior of polymers with re-dispersion at overdose area. FT-IR spectra of UF aloe concentrate showed the characteristic patterns of $\beta$-binding polysaccharide and less deacetylation indicating higher level of bioactive polysaccharide content.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.239-243
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• 2000

Helicobacter pylori, an etiologic agent of gastritis and peptic ulceration, produces urease which elicits a powerful immunoglobulin response in H. pylori-infected individuals. To establish a model plant vaccine agains H. pylori, 750 bp -ureA DNA amplified by polymerase chain reaction from pH 808 plasmid harboring urease gene cluster was cloned and manipulated to be expressed in tobacco plants. From the regenerated transgenic tobacco plants, ureA DNA integration,m its mRNA expression and protein synthesis were analyzed and confirmed by standard molecular techniques. The CaMV 35S promoter-driving ureA construct was expressed to produce a 30 kDa protein which was identical with bacterial UreA in size when detected on immunoblot of SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.105-110
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• 1985

A incubation study was conducted to find out the effects of rice straw and gypsum as soil ameriolite on urease, nitrate and nitrite reductase activities in newly reclaimed saline sandy soil. The results obtained were summarized as follows: 1. Very low urease activities were observed in saline soil if contrast to high productive paddy soil. Urease activities were lower at 5 days than that of 25 and 50 days after incubation. Remarkably high urease activities were obtained by the application of rice straw and gypsum. 2. Comparing with NPK treatment, application of rice straw and gypsum were enhanced the activities of nitrate and nitraite reductase. 3. Positive correlation (r=0.5501 p=0.05) was obtained between urease activities and ammonium nitrogen concentration in soil. 4. Cyclic oxidation and reduction of nitrate and nitrite in soil were obtained in terms of first order microbial kinetics reaction in case of application of rice straw and gypsum, respectively. 5. Positive correlation (r=0.6296 p=0.05) was obtained between the activitie of nitrite reductase and nitrate reductase in soil.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 1981

Changes of urease activity in plant leaves following foliar application of urea were investigated with soybean, rye, tomato, radish and cabbage which were actively growing in a field. In this experiment, the procedure of the enzyme assay included incubation of the reaction mixture at $60^{\circ}C$ for 3 hr in order to inactivate heat unstable enzmes which may utilize ammonia produced by urease. The leaves with urea application showed somewhat higher urease specific activities for 2-4 days immediately after the foliar spray as compared with controls. The most difference of the specific activies between urea treatment and control was usually observed 2 days after urea application regardless of the plants. The difference of the specific activities disappeared completely 4 or 5 days following urea treatment. Protein contents in the leaves of soybean and tomato were increased for about 5 days after urea treatment, while no significant difference was found with rye, radish and cabbage. Urea application showed slightly lower ammonia concentration in the leaves which had higher urease activities. These results suggest that foliar spray of urea is very effective when nitrogen supply is required for rapid growth.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.308-314
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• 2012

Two hundred and twenty three yeast strains were randomly isolated from Korean traditional $nuruk$. Among them, six urease producing yeast strains (designated JJA, JJB, JJ22, SHA, SHC and SH10) were selected on the Christensen urea agar plates. They showed the same pattern in the PCR-RFLP analysis of the ITS I-5.8S-ITS II region digested with $Hae$III and $HinF$1 restriction endonucleases. Its DNA sequences showed 100% (strains SHA, SHC and SH10) and 99.8% (strains JJA, JJB and JJ22) identity with those of $Issatchenkia$ $orientalis$ type strain ATCC 24210. Phylogenetic analysis resulted in that all the strains were closely related to $I.$ $orientalis$. Two representative strains, JJ22 and SH10, showing the highest urease activities were selected for further characterization. Their morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics were also the same as $I.$ $orientalis$. Therefore, both the two strains were identified as $I.$ $orientalis$. They could grow at a wide range of temperature between $20-40^{\circ}C$ as well as pH between 2.0 and 10.0. However, a higher level urease activity were obtained at acidic pH than that at alkalic pH. The maximal level of urease activity was obtained at $30^{\circ}C$ (strain SH10) or $35^{\circ}C$ (strain JJ22) and in a liquid medium adjusted to the initial pH 5.0.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.494-502
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• 2008

The anaphylaxis shock reaction on the whole cells of H. pylori exhibited a symptom of slight illness for the first and second medication of causing antigen at an antigen concentration of WC (H) $60\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$ for WC (H) and no anaphylaxis shock symptom was observed at an antigen concentration of $20\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$ for WC (L). In the case of anaphylaxis shock reaction on the crude urease, no symptom was observed at an antigen concentration of $20\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$ for both urease (L) and urease (H). In the heterologous passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) test using a guinea pig-rat, no positive reaction was detected in all the medication groups of WC (H), WC (L), urease (H) and urease (L). In the skin sensitization test, it was observed that the best antigen concentration not causing skin disorder at each of $80\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$, $40\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$, $20\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$, and $20\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$ was $40\;{\mu}g/100\;{\mu}l$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.769-777
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• 2004

A Helicobacter pylori urease inhibitor from Rubus coreanus Miquel has been isolated and partially characterized for aiming to Prevent H. pylori growth and decrease harmful accumulation of ammonia in human gastric mucosa. We screened urease inhibitory activities in 519 extracts library prepared by solvent extraction from 173 kinds of edible plants, medicinal herbs, herbs and seaweeds using a colorimetric urease assay system. As results of primary and secondary screening, 70% acetone extract of Rubus coreanus Miquel was selected as potent candidate, showing about 24% inhibitory activity. The acetone extract was sequentially partitioned into RCE/RCWI and RCB/RCW2 layers with ethyl acetate and butanol. The major active component in RCW2, water layer from butanol fractionation was revealed to be peptidic or proteinous substance by inhibitory activity determination after pronase digestion and periodate oxidation. RCW2-IIIc a was isolated by sequential column chromatography on DEAE-Toyopearl 650C, Butrl-Toyopearl 650M and Sephadex LH-20. The isolated urease inhibitor RCW2-IIIc $\alpha$, was highly pure proteinous substance with molecular weight of 13kDa by high-performance gel permeation liquid chromatography. RCW2-IIIc$\alpha$ has about 5 times higher inhibitory activity than 70％ acetone extract, showing high stability against heat treatment and peptic digestion.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 2001

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a halophilic bacterium associated with seafood gastroenteritis. An unusual strain of Kanagawa-positive urease producing Vibrio parahaemolyticus O1:K1 was isolated from the environment and identified . A polymerase chain reaction assay revealed that this strain harbored both the tdh and the genes. The urease from this strain was studied. Maximum urease production was induced in LB medium containing 0.2% urea, 0.5% glucose, 2% NaCl and pH 5.5 with 6h of culti-vation at 37$\^{C}$ under aeration. Purification of urease was achieved by the process of whole cell lysate, 65% ammonium sulphate precipitation, DEAE-cellulose ion exchange column chromatography, Sepharose CL-6B gel filtration and oxirane activated Sepharose 6B-urea affinity chromatography with 203 fold purification and 2.2% yield. Analysis of the purified enzyme by SDS-PAGE demonstrated the presence of the subunits with a molecular weight of 85kDa, 59kDa, 41kDa and the molecular weight for the native enzyme by nondenaturing PAGE and gel filtration chromatography was 255kDa. The purified urease was stable at pH 7.5 and the opeimal pH in HEPES buffer was 8.0 The enzyme was stable at 60$\^{C}$ for 2 h with a residual activity of 32% . The addition of 10$\mu$M if NiCl$_2$maintained stability for 30 min. The Km value of the purified enzyme was 35.6 mM in urea substrate. The TD$\_$50/(median toxic dose) of the purified urease was 2.5$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml on human leukemia cells.