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Phosphate-dependent Degradation of Urea

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Abstract

Jones and Lipmann1 recently proposed a direct mechanism for the phosphorolysis of urea. We have found that urea is phosphorolytically cleaved by extracts of Streptococcus allantoicus. However, the urea moiety is indirectly decomposed as made evident by the requirement for glyoxylate. Co-factors for the following scheme of urea degradation in which glyoxylurea is an intermediate are diphospho-pyridine nucleotide (DPN), magnesium, and phosphate or arsenate : Oxamic transcarbamylase catalysing reaction (3) has been previously described by Valentine and Wolfe2.

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References

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, Urbana, Illinois

    R. C. VALENTINE & R. S. WOLFE

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  1. R. C. VALENTINE
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  2. R. S. WOLFE
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VALENTINE, R., WOLFE, R. Phosphate-dependent Degradation of Urea. Nature 191, 925–926 (1961). https://doi.org/10.1038/191925b0

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