Isolation and Characterization of Highly Active Uricase from Alcaligenes spp. Strain UR1.

For the first time, this study reports extracellular uricase enzyme isolation and characterization from strain UR1 of Alcaligenes spp. from Western Saudi Arabia. The strain efficiently produced highly active extracellular uricase for therapeutic applications. It offers a simplified enzyme purification approach rather than complicated intracellular enzyme purification from other microbes. Strain UR1 exhibited significantly higher uricase synthesis potential [916 U/mg (specific activities) and 275 U/ml (volume)]. The study optimized the conditions (37°C and pH 7.4) for 10% enhanced uricase production in the BT medium where sucrose served as the carbon source. Uricase enzyme remained stable at various pH levels (5-9) up to 50°C, however, the optimal activity was noted at 40°C and pH 7.5. The strain was sensitive to EDTA-like inhibitors. Ca²⁺ improved the strain activity, which could yield potent formulations for clinical and industrial applications. This novel aspect presents Alcaligenes spp. strain UR1 as a promising candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. It offers an efficient and inexpensive alternative for uricase synthesis at the industrial scale. These findings encourage further investigations regarding genetic aspects of uricase for improved bioprocessing and therapeutic applications.