Topic
Urea
About: Urea is a(n) research topic. Over the lifetime, 21394 publication(s) have been published within this topic receiving 382444 citation(s). The topic is also known as: carbamide & carbonic acid diamide.
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TL;DR: Combinations of reagents are described for the catalyzed indophenol reaction for the determination of ammonia, which produces a stable blue color, and the procedure is adapted to thedetermination of urea after hydrolysis with urease.
Abstract: Combinations of reagents are described for the catalyzed indophenol reaction for the determination of ammonia, which produces a stable blue color. The procedure is adapted to the determination of urea after hydrolysis with urease.
3,266 citations
TL;DR: Eutectic mixtures of urea and a range of quaternary ammonium salts are liquid at ambient temperatures and have interesting solvent properties.
Abstract: Eutectic mixtures of urea and a range of quaternary ammonium salts are liquid at ambient temperatures and have interesting solvent properties.
2,632 citations
TL;DR: The results suggest that addition of non-protein N supplements to ruminant rations are warranted only if the prevailing concentration of ruminal ammonia is less than 50 mg NH3-N/l ruminal fluid.
Abstract: 1. The effect of ammonia concentration on microbial protein production was determined in continuous-culture fermentors charged with ruminal contents obtained from steers fed on either a protein-free purified diet, a maize-based all-concentrate diet, or a forage–concentrate (23:77) diet. Urea was infused into the fermentors to maintain various concentrations of ammonia in the incubating mixtures.2. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, microbial protein yield measured as tungstic acid-precipitable N (TAPN) increased linearly with supplementary urea until ammonia started to accumulate in the incubating ingesta. Increasing the ammonia concentration beyond 50 mg NH3-N/l had no effect on microbial protein production.3. The molar proportions of volatile acids produced were not affected by the level of urea supplementation. Total acid production was decreased slightly under N-limiting conditions, but not to the same extent as microbial protein production.4. Estimated yield of microbial dry matter/mol ATP produced averaged 15·6 when non-limiting N as urea was provided with the purified diet.5. These results suggest that addition of non-protein N supplements to ruminant rations are warranted only if the prevailing concentration of ruminal ammonia is less than 50 mg NH3-N/l ruminal fluid.
1,663 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a rapid assay for soil urease in the absence of bacteriostatic agents has been developed, which comprises incubation of soil with an aqueous or buffered urea solution, extraction of ammonium with 1 N KCl and 0.01 NHCl and colorimetric NH4+ determination by a modified indophenol reaction.
Abstract: A rapid assay for soil urease in the absence of bacteriostatic agents has been developed. The method comprises incubation of soil with an aqueous or buffered urea solution, extraction of ammonium with 1 N KCl and 0.01 NHCl and colorimetric NH4
+ determination by a modified indophenol reaction. The method is characterized by high sensitivity and stability of the coloured complex formed. Measurements obtained by this method showed that no change in urease activity occurred when field-moist samples of soils were stored at −20°C for as long as 5 months. Air-drying of field-moist soil samples may lead to an increase in urease activity.
1,367 citations
TL;DR: The crystal structure of the K. aerogenes enzyme has been determined and provides important insight into the mechanism of catalysis, and accessory genes have been shown to be required for activation of urease apoprotein, and roles for the accessory proteins in metallocenter assembly have been proposed.
Abstract: Urease (urea amidohydrolase; EC 3.5.1.5) catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to yield ammonia and carbamate. The latter compound spontaneously decomposes to yield another molecule of ammonia and carbonic acid. The urease phenotype is widely distributed across the bacterial kingdom, and the gene clusters encoding this enzyme have been cloned from numerous bacterial species. The complete nucleotide sequence, ranging from 5.15 to 6.45 kb, has been determined for five species including Bacillus sp. strain TB-90, Klebsiella aerogenes, Proteus mirabilis, Helicobacter pylori, and Yersinia enterocolitica. Sequences for selected genes have been determined for at least 10 other bacterial species and the jack bean enzyme. Urease synthesis can be nitrogen regulated, urea inducible, or constitutive. The crystal structure of the K. aerogenes enzyme has been determined. When combined with chemical modification studies, biophysical and spectroscopic analyses, site-directed mutagenesis results, and kinetic inhibition experiments, the structure provides important insight into the mechanism of catalysis. Synthesis of active enzyme requires incorporation of both carbon dioxide and nickel ions into the protein. Accessory genes have been shown to be required for activation of urease apoprotein, and roles for the accessory proteins in metallocenter assembly have been proposed. Urease is central to the virulence of P. mirabilis and H. pylori. Urea hydrolysis by P. mirabilis in the urinary tract leads directly to urolithiasis (stone formation) and contributes to the development of acute pyelonephritis. The urease of H. pylori is necessary for colonization of the gastric mucosa in experimental animal models of gastritis and serves as the major antigen and diagnostic marker for gastritis and peptic ulcer disease in humans. In addition, the urease of Y. enterocolitica has been implicated as an arthritogenic factor in the development of infection-induced reactive arthritis. The significant progress in our understanding of the molecular biology of microbial ureases is reviewed.
1,155 citations