Selection of uric acid oxidizing-Lactobacillus plantarum isolates based on their genetic determinant and uricase kinetics

Abstract

Hyperuricemia is a condition characterized by abnormally elevated levels of uric acid in the blood. It has been a leading morbidity disease. Microbial uricase can be used to oxidize uric acid into allantoin and hydrogen peroxide in the presence of oxygen and therefore has the potential to play an essential role in reducing uric acid in the people suffering from degenerative disease of hyperuricemia. The present study aims to select uric acid oxidizing-Lactobacillus plantarum isolates based on their genetic determinant and uricase kinetics. A collection of Lactobacillus plantarum isolates were grown on a selective differential medium followed by measuring their uricase activity spectrophotometrically. Specific primers for detection of uricase gene were designed. The uricase coding gene (uox) was then detected in all of the selected isolates by using a qPCR method employing the designed specific primers. The uricase kinetics was determined by the Lineweaver-Burk method. Results showed that all isolates had uricase activity and 4 potential isolates were selected based on their superior uricase activity. The uox gene was detected in all of the selected isolates. The kinetics analysis, however, revealed that only the L. plantarum K-Mar-A2 show strongest substrate affinity and was considered a potential candidate to be developed as a source of therapeutic agent for hyperuricemia.