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Isolation and Characterization of Highly Active Uricase from Alcaligenes spp. Strain UR1 Cover

Isolation and Characterization of Highly Active Uricase from Alcaligenes spp. Strain UR1

Open Access
|Mar 2025

Figures & Tables

Fig. 1.

Uricase activity of the selected strains based on the clear zone formation around colonies on the uric acid-supplemented (0.3%) BT agar.
Uricase activity of the selected strains based on the clear zone formation around colonies on the uric acid-supplemented (0.3%) BT agar.

Fig. 2.

Phylogenetic tree of uricase-producing isolates (shown in blue) and closely related strains of genus Alcaligenes. Bootstrap values out of 100 are mentioned at the nodes. Escherichia coli strain ATCC® 35218™ (J01859.1) and Bacillus subtilis strain: ATCC® 21331™ (AB018487.1) served as the out-group.
Phylogenetic tree of uricase-producing isolates (shown in blue) and closely related strains of genus Alcaligenes. Bootstrap values out of 100 are mentioned at the nodes. Escherichia coli strain ATCC® 35218™ (J01859.1) and Bacillus subtilis strain: ATCC® 21331™ (AB018487.1) served as the out-group.

Fig. 3.

Effect of incubation period on the growth (OD) and uricase secretion of strain UR1
Effect of incubation period on the growth (OD) and uricase secretion of strain UR1

Fig. 4.

Effect of temperature on the growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml) of strain UR1.
Effect of temperature on the growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml) of strain UR1.

Fig. 5.

Effect of pH on the growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml) of strain UR1.
Effect of pH on the growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml) of strain UR1.

Fig. 6.

Impact of carbon and nitrogen sources on strain UR1 growth and uricase activity (U/ml).
Impact of carbon and nitrogen sources on strain UR1 growth and uricase activity (U/ml).

Fig. 7.

Impact of different NaCl (%) concentrations on strain UR1 growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml).
Impact of different NaCl (%) concentrations on strain UR1 growth (OD) and uricase activity (U/ml).

Fig. 8.

Uricase purification from strain UR1 by gel filtration. Uricase activity exhibiting fractions (F7-F12).
Uricase purification from strain UR1 by gel filtration. Uricase activity exhibiting fractions (F7-F12).

Fig. 9.

SDS-PAGE of the purified uricase from strain UR1.
SDS-denatured samples (20–40 μl) were separated in an SDS-polyacrylamide gel (12%) and stained with Serva blue R. Lane 1: molecular mass standard, Lane 2: protein (10 μg) of purified enzyme.
SDS-PAGE of the purified uricase from strain UR1. SDS-denatured samples (20–40 μl) were separated in an SDS-polyacrylamide gel (12%) and stained with Serva blue R. Lane 1: molecular mass standard, Lane 2: protein (10 μg) of purified enzyme.

Fig. 10.

Effect of temperature on a) uricase activity, and b) stability.
Effect of temperature on a) uricase activity, and b) stability.

Fig. 11.

Effect of pH on the uricase activity of strain UR1.
Effect of pH on the uricase activity of strain UR1.

Fig. 12.

Effect of substrate concentration on uricase activity of strain UR1.
Effect of substrate concentration on uricase activity of strain UR1.

Fig. 13.

Effect of the metal ions and inhibitors on uricase activity of strain UR1.
Effect of the metal ions and inhibitors on uricase activity of strain UR1.

API-20E profile of sugar fermentation and enzyme activity of uricase-producing isolates_

Biochemical testUricase-producing isolatesReference strain
UR1UR2UR5UR6UR10Alcaligenes faecalis DSM13644
1O-nitrophenyl-b D-galactopyranoside (ONPG)
2Arginine dihydrolase (ADH)
3Lysine decarboxylase (LDC)
4Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)
5Citrate (CIT)++++++
6Hydrogen sulfide (H2S)+
7Urease (URA)+++++
8Tryptophan deaminase (TDA)+
9Indole (IND)+
10Voges-Proskauer test (VP)+++++
11Gelatinase (GEL)
Sugar fermentation:
12Glucose (GLU)++++++
13Mannose (MAN)
14Inositol (INO)
15Sorbitol (SOR)
16Rhamnose (RHA)
17Sucrose (SAC)++++++
18Melibiose (MEL)
19Amygdalin (AMY)
20Arabinose (ARA)

16S rRNA gene sequence-based molecular identification of uricase-producing promising strains_

Isolate codeBlast matchGene Bank Accession No.16S rRNA Identity (%)
Strain UR1 (PP563675)Alcaligenes faecalis strain NBRC 13111– NR_113606.196.96
Alcaligenes ammonioxydans strain HO-1– NR_180910.196.86
Alcaligenes aquatilis strain LMG 22996– NR_104977.196.54
Alcaligenes endophyticus strain AER10– NR_156855.195.91
Alcaligenes pakistanensis strain NCCP-650– NR_145932.195.58
Strain UR2 (PP563676)Alcaligenes faecalis strain NBRC 13111– NR_113606.195.40
Alcaligenes ammonioxydans strain HO-1– NR_180910.195.19
Alcaligenes aquatilis strain LMG 22996– NR_156855.194.97
Alcaligenes endophyticus strain AER10– NR_156855.195.15
Alcaligenes pakistanensis strain NCCP-650– NR_145932.193.79
Strain UR5 (PP563677)Alcaligenes ammonioxydans strain HO-1– NR_180910.197.28
Alcaligenes faecalis strain NBRC 13111– NR_113606.197.20
Alcaligenes aquatilis strain LMG 22996– NR_104977.196.89
Alcaligenes pakistanensis strain NCCP-650– NR_145932.196.11
Alcaligenes endophyticus strain AER10– NR_156855.95.96
Strain UR6 (PP563678)Alcaligenes ammonioxydans strain HO-1 16S– NR_180910.198.77
Alcaligenes faecalis strain NBRC 13111 16S– NR_113606.198.56
Alcaligenes aquatilis strain LMG 22996– NR_104977.198.15
Alcaligenes endophyticus strain AER10– NR_156855.198.15
Alcaligenes pakistanensis strain NCCP-650– NR_145932.198.15
Strain UR10 (PP563679)Alcaligenes ammonioxydans strain HO-1– NR_180910.198.84
Alcaligenes faecalis strain NBRC 13111– NR_113606.198.02
Alcaligenes aquatilis strain LMG 22996– NR_104977.197.73
Alcaligenes pakistanensis strain NCCP-650– NR_145932.196.98
Alcaligenes faecalis subsp. phenolicus– NR_042830.195.87

Morphological and partial characterization of uricase-producing isolates_

CharacteristicsMost promising uricase-producing isolates
UR1UR2UR5UR6UR10
Colony morphology:
FormIrregularIrregularIrregularIrregularIrregular
Color on NAwhitishWhitishWhitishWhitishWhitish
Pigment
ElevationFlatFlatFlatFlatFlat
OpacityOpaqueOpaqueOpaqueOpaqueOpaque
ConsistencyDryDryDryDryDry
Cell morphology:
ShapeRods shapedRods shapedRods shapedRods shapedRods shaped
Gram stain
Catalase+++++
Oxidase+++++
Sporulation+++++
Motility+++++
Carbon source utilization:
Maltose+\–++++
Dextrose+++++
Fructose+++++
D-Glucose+++++
Sucrose+++++
Nitrogen source utilization:
Casein+++++
Yeast extract+++++
Urea+++++
Growth on NaCl (%):
0+++++
1%+++++
2%+\–+\–+\–+\–+\–
5%+\–+\–+\–+\–
10%
pH optimum:
5++\–+\–+\–+\–
6++\–+\–+\–+\–
7+++++
8+++++
9+\–+\–+\–+\–+\–
Temperature optimum:
20°C+\–+\–+\–+\–
30°C+++++
37°C+++++
40°C+++++
50°C
MacConkey agar:
Blood agar hemolysisα-hemolyticα-hemolyticα-hemolyticα-hemolyticα-hemolytic
Enzyme secretion:
Uricase+++++
Urease+++++
Protease
Amylase
Lipase
Cellulose+++++

Antibiotic susceptibility of uricase-producing promising isolates_

AntibioticsAntibiotics/Disc potencyUricase-producing isolates
UR1UR2UR5UR6UR10
Amikacin30 μg (AK)RRSRS
Gentamicin10 μg (GM)SSSSR
Tetracycline30 μg (T)SSSSS
Aztreonam30 μg (ATM)RRRRR
Ciprofloxacin5 μg (CIP)SSRSS
Cefotaxime30 μg (Cf)SSRRR
Ceftazidime30 μg (CAZ)SRSRS
Cefepime30 μg (CPM)RRSRR
Imipenem10 μg (IMI)SSSSS
Piperacillin100 μg (PRL)SSRRS
Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole25 μg (TS)SSRSR
Chloramphenicol30 μg (C)SSSSS

Screening and partial characterization of uricase-producing isolates_

Isolate codeSource of strainsMotilitySporulationGram testUricase activity (mm)
Gram stainKOH test
UR1Soil++75
UR2Soil++74
UR3Poultry wastes++73
UR4Poultry wastes++70
UR5Poultry wastes++70
UR6Soil++70
UR7Soil++70
UR8Poultry wastes++70
UR9Poultry wastes++70
UR10Poultry wastes++70
UR11Poultry wastes++70
UR12Poultry wastes++70
UR13Poultry wastes++68
UR14Poultry wastes++68
UR15Soil++67
UR16Poultry wastes++66
UR17Poultry wastes++65
UR18Poultry wastes++65
UR19Poultry wastes++65
UR20Poultry wastes++65
UR21Poultry wastes++65
UR22Poultry wastes++65
UR23Poultry wastes++65
UR24Soil++62
UR25Poultry wastes++60
UR26Poultry wastes++60
UR27Poultry wastes++60
UR28Soil++60
UR29Poultry wastes++60
UR30Poultry wastes++60
UR31Poultry wastes++60
UR32Poultry wastes++60
UR33Poultry wastes++60
UR34Poultry wastes++60
UR35Poultry wastes++60
UR36Poultry wastes++60
UR37Poultry wastes++60
UR38Poultry wastes++55
UR39Poultry wastes++55
UR40Poultry wastes++55
UR41Poultry wastes++55
UR42Poultry wastes++55
UR43Poultry wastes++50
UR44Poultry wastes++50
UR45Poultry wastes++50
UR46Poultry wastes++50
UR47Poultry wastes++50
UR48Poultry wastes++45
UR49Soil++45
UR50Poultry wastes++45
UR51Soil++40
UR52Soil++40

bioMérieux VITEK®-based biochemical tests of uricase-producing isolates_

Carbon source utilization, enzymatic activities and resistanceConc. (mg)Uricase isolates/identification results
UR1UR2UR5UR6UR10
1Ala-Phe-Pro-arylamidase (APPA)0.0384
2Adonitol (ADO)0.1875
3L-Pyrrolydonyl-arylamidase (PyrA)0.018
4L-Arabitol (lARL)0.3
5D-Cellobiose (dCEL)0.3
6β-Galactosidase (BGAL)0.036
7Production (H2S)0.0024
8β-N-acetyl-glucosaminidase (BNAG)0.0408
9Glutamyl arylamidase pNA (AGLTp)0.0324
10D-Glucose (dGLU)0.3+++++
11γ-Glutamyl-transferase (GGT)0.0228
12Fermentation/glucose (OFF)0.45+++++
13β-Glucosidase (BGLU)0.036
14D-Maltose (dMAL)0.3
15D-Mannitol (dMAN)0.1875
16D-Mannose (dMNE)0.3
17β-Xylosidase (BXYL)0.0324
18β-Alanine arylamidase pNA (BAlap)0.0174
19L-Proline arylamidase (ProA)0.0234+++++
20Lipase (LIP)0.0192
21Palationse (PLE)0.3
22Tyrosine arylamidase (TyrA)0.0276+++++
23Urease (URE)0.15++++
24D-Sorbitol (dSOR)0.1875
25Saccharose/sucrose (SAC)0.3
26D-Tagatose (dTAG)0.3
27D-Trehalose (dTRE)0.3
28Citrate (sodium) (CIT)0.054+
29Malonate (MNT)0.15+
305-Keto-D-gluconate (5KG)0.3
31L-Lactate alkalinisation (ILATk)0.15+++++
32α-Glucosidase (AGLU)0.036
33Succinate alkalinisation (SUCT)0.15++
34β-N-acetyl-galactosaminidase (NAGA)0.0306
35α-Galactosidase (AGAL)0.036
36Phosphatase (PHOS)0.0504
37Glycine arylamidase (GlyA)0.012
38Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC)0.3
39Lysine decarboxylase (LDC)0.15
40L-Histidine assimilation (IHISa)0.087-\+++\-
41Coumarate (CMT)0.126+
42β-Glucoronidase (BGUR)0.0378
43O/129 Resistance (comp.vibrio.) (O129R)0.0105
44Glu-Gly-Arg-arylamidase (GGAA)0.0576
45L-malate assimilation (IMLTa)0.042-\++\-+
46Ellman (ELLM)0.03-\+-\++
Identification and similarity according to VITEK® data basePseudomonas oleovorans (95%)Pseudomonas oleovorans (95%)Alcaligenes faecalis (97%)Acinetobacter lwoffii (92%)Acinetobacter lwoffii (96%)

Gel-filtration-based uricase purification steps from strain UR1_

Purification stepsVolume (ml)Uricase activity (U/ml)Total uricase activity (U)Protein concentration (mg/ml)Specific activity (U/mg)Purification (fold)Yield (%)
Crude enzyme (10 fold concentration)100757,5005.413.81100
Dialysis after ammonium sulfate precipitation51125603.829.742.137.40
Gel filtration (Sephadex)52751,3750.391666.7318.33
DOI: https://doi.org/10.33073/pjm-2025-009 | Journal eISSN: 2544-4646 | Journal ISSN: 1733-1331
Language: English
Page range: 106 - 129
Submitted on: Dec 25, 2024
Accepted on: Feb 10, 2025
Published on: Mar 26, 2025
Published by: Polish Society of Microbiologists
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 4 issues per year

© 2025 Atheer Alshareef, Mahmoud Z. El-Readi, Leena A. Neyaz, Hussein H. Abulreesh, Ahmad A. Alsaigh, Ashjan F. Khalel, Wafaa A. Alshehri, Khaled Elbanna, published by Polish Society of Microbiologists
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