Urease of Corynebacterium glutamicum: organization of corresponding genes and investigation of activity

The Courynebacterium glutamicum genes encoding urease were isolated and seq uenced. While ureA, ureB and ureC are encoding structural subunits of ureas e, ureE, ureF, ureG and ureD are encoding accessory proteins. As deduced fr om DNA sequence analyses, the lire genes are transcriptionally coupled, thi s was proven by RT-PCR at least for uveABC. Gene disruption experiments rev ealed that both structural (UreC) and accessory proteins (UreD) are indispe nsable for urease activity and growth on urea. Urease activity was determin ed in different Corynebacterium species after growth in various media. Whil e the regulation patterns observed revealed species-specific differences, i n general urease activity is induced upon nitrogen starvation. As in mycoba cteria, in corynebacteria urease activity was highest in a pathogenic speci es and might also play a role in host-pathogen interaction. (C) 2000 Federa tion of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Elsevier Science B .V. All rights reserved.