Isolation And Molecular Characterisation Of Uricase Producing Bacteria From Poultry Droppings Soil

Uricase (urate oxidase, EC 1.7.3.3) is a crucial enzyme that plays an important role in purine metabolism by oxidising uric acid into more soluble and less toxic compounds allantoin, carbon dioxide, and hydrogen peroxide. It is found in many animals other than primates and is also produced by various microorganisms like bacteria, fungi, etc. Due to a genetic mutation that occurred during evolution, humans lack a functional uricase, which leads to diseases like gout and hyperuricemia in certain abnormal conditions. Because of this therapeutic challenge, the current study focused on the isolation and molecular characterisation of uricase-producing bacteria from poultry droppings soils. To isolate the extracellular uricase producers, the samples spread plated on 0.3% uric acid containing nutrient agar (UNA) media. Primary screening done based on relative enzyme activity (REA) on the UAA medium. Further screening done by uric acid assay (Caraway method) to select the potent isolate. The selected isolate was subjected to molecular characterisation by 16S rDNA gene sequencing and identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa SSB with an enzyme activity of 0.08 micromole/minute.