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. 1981 Jul;78(7):4601–4605. doi: 10.1073/pnas.78.7.4601

Gut bacteria recycle uric acid nitrogen in termites: A strategy for nutrient conservation

Catherine J Potrikus 1,*, John A Breznak 1,†
PMCID: PMC319841  PMID: 16593064

Abstract

Reticulitermes flavipes termites synthesize uric acid via purine-nucleoside phosphorylase (purine-nucleoside: orthophosphate ribosyltransferase, EC 2.4.2.1) and xanthine dehydrogenase (xanthine:NAD+ oxidoreductase, EC 1.2.1.37), but their tissues lack uricase (urate:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.7.3.3) or any other enzyme that degrades uric acid. Nevertheless, uricolysis occurs in termites, but as an anaerobic process mediated by hindgut bacteria. 14C-Tracer experiments showed that termites transport uric acid from the site of synthesis and storage (fat body tissue) to the site of degradation (hindgut microbiota) via Malpighian tubules. Moveover, [1,3-15N]uric acid dissimilated by gut bacteria in vivo leads to assimilation of 15N into termite tissues. NH3, a product of uricolysis, is a potential N source for termites, either directly via glutamine synthetase [L-glutamate:ammonia ligase (ADP-forming), EC 6.3.1.2] activity of fat body tissue or indirectly through microbe assimilation. Symbiotic recycling of uric acid N appears to be important to N conservation in these oligonitrotrophic insects.

Keywords: symbiosis, Reticulitermes flavipes, Malpighian tubules, purine metabolism

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

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