Ureases

Dr. Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun holds a B. Sc. degree in Biological Sciences from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (2008), a M. Sc. degree (2010) and a D. Sc. degree (2014) in Cell and Molecular Biology from the Center of Biotechnology at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. His interests rest in the structural biology of toxic proteins from venoms and poisons for the development of novel drugs. He is currently Associate Professor of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department at Universidade Federal de Ciencias da Saude de Porto Alegre (UFCSPA). Dr. Célia Regina R da S Carlini holds a B.Sc degree in Biological Sciences - Medical modality, from Universidade Federal de São Paulo (1978), M.Sc. (1981) and Ph.D. (1985) in Molecular Biology - Protein Chemistry from Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). She is a Member of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences (elected 2009). She is full professor (retired) and runs the Research Group on Neurotoxins and Ureases, at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Her research experience is focused on Biochemistry, with an emphasis on Proteins, including canatoxin, ureases, lectins, proteolytic enzymes and cognate inhibitors, blood clotting, platelet aggregation, inflammation, neurotoxins, insecticidal, antifungal, pore-forming and ion channel proteins and peptides.

• List of contributorsAbout the editorsPrefacePart I Introduction1 Ureases: an overviewConrado Pedebos and Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun1.1 Introduction1.2 Structure and activation1.3 Relevance in health and technology1.4 ConclusionsReferencesPart II Historical aspects2 Historical hallmarks in urease studyPaula Bacaicoa Caruso and Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun2.1 Introduction2.2 From urea to urease: 1700-19002.3 Enzymes are proteins and they can have nickel: 1900-752.4 Structure-function(s) of urease: 1981currently2.5 Urease origins: notes on urease prehistoryReferences3 Genetics of plant urease, the enzyme that keeps surprising usJoe C. Polacco3.1 An innocent young man3.2 A quixotic quest: biological and biographical background3.3 The urease play, with a cast of “firsts”3.4 Nickel enters the fray3.5 Soybean urease isozymes enter the fray3.6 Nickel insertion proteins enter the fray (in vitro activation of soybean urease)3.7 Does urea enter the fray? Of course, but from which tissues?3.8 Dueling metabolic precursors of urea enter the fray3.9 A urease-mediated insight into plant associations with bacteria3.10 Other nickel roles in the plant world?3.11 Are urea and NO children of the same parents?3.12 DedicationReferencesPart III Classes and special cases4 Microbial ureasesCelia Regina Carlini, Deiber Olivera-Severo and Rodrigo Ligabue-Braun4.1 Historical aspects and relevance of microbial ureases4.2 Structural organization of microbial ureases and evolution4.3 Genomic organization and expression regulation of bacterial ureases4.4 Urease-negative bacteria4.5 Beneficial roles of bacterial ureases4.6 Microbial ureases as virulence factors4.7 Nonenzymatic properties of three-chained ureases4.8 Concluding remarksReferences5 Plant ureases: biochemistry, structure, physiological functions, role of urease inhibitors, and urease applications in industrySandeep Kumar and Arvind M. Kayastha5.1 Introduction5.2 Historical milestones of urease5.3 Biochemistry of urea catalysis5.4 A Ubiquitous enzyme5.5 Structure of plant urease5.6 Urease inhibitors of agricultural interest5.7 Physiological role of urease in plants5.8 Nonenzymatic properties of plant ureases5.9 Applications of ureases5.10 ConclusionReferences6 Jack bean ureaseAnuradha Balasubramanian and Karthe Ponnuraj6.1 Introduction6.2 Role of plant urease6.3 Urease architecture6.4 Challenges in crystallizing jack bean urease6.5 Crystallization of JBU6.6 X-ray analysis of native and fluoride-inhibited JBU6.7 Structure determination of native and fluoride-inhibited JBU6.8 Structure of JBU monomer6.9 Oligomeric assembly6.10 Active site architecture of JBU6.11 Active site mobile flap6.12 Insecticidal activityAcknowledgmentReferences7 Fungal ureasesAlfred Botha and Barbra Toplis7.1 Introduction7.2 Producers of fungal ureases7.3 Environmental role of fungal ureases7.4 Fungal ureases as virulence factors7.5 The role of ureases in fungal cell metabolism7.6 ConclusionReferencesPart IV Activation, catalysis, inhibition8 Urease: structure, function, catalysis, and inhibitionLuca Mazzei, Francesco Musiani, Barbara Zambelli, Stefano Benini, Michele Cianci and Stefano Ciurli8.1 Introduction8.2 The three-dimensional architecture of ureases8.3 The active site of urease8.4 The urease operon8.5 The accessory proteins of urease8.6 The urease maturation process8.7 The catalytic mechanism8.8 The inhibition of ureaseReferences9 Inhibition of ureases: studies and applicationsRobert P. Hausinger9.1 Introduction: the importance of urease inhibitors and inactivators9.2 Proper design of urease inhibitor/inactivator studies9.3 Inhibitors that bind directly to the urease metallocenter9.4 Inactivators that react with the flexible protein flap covering the urease active site9.5 Other compounds that reduce urease activity9.6 ConclusionAcknowledgmentsReferences10 Nonenzymatic properties of ureasesMatheus V.C. Grahl, Augusto F. Uberti and Celia Regina Carlini10.1 Introduction10.2 Entomotoxic property of plant ureases10.3 Antifungal effect of ureases10.4 Exocytosis-inducing activity of ureases10.5 Pro-inflammatory properties of ureases10.6 Neurotoxicity of ureases in rodents10.7 Structure versus nonenzymatic activities of ureases10.8 Concluding remarksAcknowledgmentsReferencesPart V Health applications11 Ureases as drug targets in urinary tract infectionsCharles E. Deutch11.1 Urinary tract infections11.2 Role of urease activity in urinary tract infections11.3 Ureases from urinary tract pathogens11.4 Ureases from gram-negative bacteria11.5 Ureases from gram-positive bacteria11.6 Inhibition of uropathogenic ureases by specific chemicals11.7 Hydroxyurea and other urea analogs11.8 Acetohydroxamic acid and other hydroxamates11.9 Flurofamide and other phosphoramides11.10 Polyphenolic compounds11.11 Omeprazole and other imidazoles11.12 Inhibition of uropathogenic ureases by herbal extracts11.13 Green tea extract11.14 Uva ursi extract11.15 Cranberry extract11.16 Garlic extract11.17 Other extracts11.18 Further studies11.19 New chemical inhibitors of urease activity11.20 Inhibition of urease formation11.21 Inhibition of Ni21 incorporation11.22 Urease-specific vaccines11.23 ConclusionsReferences12 Ureases as drug targets in fungal infectionsAnne Helene Souza Martinelli, Ana Paula Artusi Perin and Fernanda Cortez Lopes12.1 Fungal infections12.2 Fungal targets to drugs12.3 Ureases as virulence factors in fungi12.4 Fungal ureases as drug targetsReferencesPart VI Biotechnological applications13 Reaching food security: harnessing urease inhibitors to meet the challenges of growing global populationAndre´ia C.S. Ferreira, Rosana C. Cruz, Clara Q. Rosa, Aˆngelo de Fa´tima and Luzia V. Modolo13.1 Introduction13.2 NBPT as a promoter of crop production13.3 Use of hydroquinone13.4 Use of Azolla to improve NBPT effectiveness13.5 Use of Limus13.6 Use of biochar13.7 Use of biological preparationsAcknowledgmentsReferences14 Ureases as pesticidesLeonardo Luis Fruttero, Natalia Rita Moyetta, Matheus V.C. Grahl, Anne Helene Souza Martinelli and Fernanda Cortez Lopes14.1 Introduction14.2 Synthetic pesticides versus biological control14.3 Ureases as pesticides14.4 Final conclusions and perspectivesAcknowledgmentReferences15 Ureases in the beverage industryElisa Tavilli and Marcello Fidaleo15.1 Introduction15.2 Acid urease15.3 Application of acid urease to beverages15.4 Kinetics of urea removal in wines15.5 Use of immobilized acid urease in beverages15.6 Concluding remarksReferences16 Versatility of ureases: many uses for biotechnological and medical applicationsKelvin Siqueira Hohl, Evelin Furtado Meirelles and Celia Regina Carlini16.1 Why urease? Historical aspects of urease-based applications16.2 Immobilization of ureases16.3 Biocementation, bioremediation, and archeology16.4 Dairy production16.5 Beverage industry16.6 Urease-assisted chemical synthesis16.7 Biosensors16.8 Medical applications16.9 Concluding remarksReferencesIndex