The Open Systems Biology Journal

2009, 2 : 1-7
Published online 2009 January 6. DOI: 10.2174/1876392800902010001
Publisher ID: TOSYSBJ-2-1

RESEARCH ARTICLE
 Urease Genes have Undergone a Unique Evolutionary Process

Hiromi Nishida, *
Agricultural Bioinformatics Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan

* Address correspondence to this author at the Agricultural Bioinformatics Research Unit, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan; E-mail: hnishida@iu.a.u-tokyo.ac.jp

ABSTRACT

Ureaplasma, a member of mycoplasmas, has a unique ATP synthesis system, which is coupled to the urea hydrolysis. Urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea into carbon dioxide and ammonia. Phylogenetic analyses of the urease genes indicated that Ureaplasma urease genes were not gained by recent horizontal transfer and have a unique evolutionary process. Ureaplasma unique ATP synthesis system leaded to breakdown of the glycolysis pathway. Some glycolytic genes are absent and some glycolytic genes are evolving under relaxed selection in Ureaplasma. Probably glycolytic genes can be used as an indicator of ATP synthesis system. Thus, the organisms that have incomplete glycolysis pathway or glycolytic genes evolving under relaxed selection would have an ATP synthesis system independently of the glycolysis.