The discovery of the function of one of the genes of bacteria may lead to the creation of a drug that prevents the formation of one of the most common types of kidney stones - oxalates, according to the online publication for girls and women from 14 to 35 years old Pannochka. net This was reported by scientists from Purdue University (USA).

The cells of the human body are not able to metabolize oxalates - salts of oxalic acid found in almost all plants that we eat.. Therefore, all oxalates obtained from food must be excreted from the body..

Calcium oxalic acid kidney stones form when oxalate levels reach high levels.. Approximately 80% of human kidney stones are composed of insoluble calcium oxalate..

J. Cappock, a biochemist at Purdue University, and his team made an interesting discovery when they studied the genes of the harmless bacterium Acetobacter aceti, which is responsible for the formation of acetic acid in wine.. Kappock says this organism lives on many plants and thrives in an acidic environment that can kill most other bacteria..

Scientists were amazed to find that the genes of Acetobacter aceti encoded the same enzyme as the famous E. coli.. coli. This enzyme, with unknown functions, was named YfdE in Escherichia.. DNA sequencing of bacteria has identified similar genes in them, but has not shed light on the function of the mysterious enzyme..

Kappock says: “When we looked at the bacterial genome, we could not tell what certain proteins do in this organism.. It's like we know it's just a car. But we don't know if it's a race car or a truck.. DNA sequencing tells us that there is a certain protein in the body, but we do not know what it is for and what it does.”.

It turned out that many other bacteria have similar genes, but, apparently, they are not able to use these genes..

Kappock adds: “Some bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract metabolize oxalate, and I think we know how it works.. But we don't know why so many others die from oxalate despite having the genes to protect them.. Oxalate is a very tough nut to crack for any organism. It is a very stable molecule that is difficult to break down.. The enzymes that "

Researchers have identified which chemicals are recycled using the mysterious enzyme YfdE. Intuitively, they assumed that these were oxalates.. Their results were able to combine the chain of destruction of oxalate with the main "

Evaluation of YfdE function will help identify bacteria that could serve as a probiotic in the human gastrointestinal tract that can break down dietary oxalates and reduce the risk of urolithiasis. Kidney stones, which are found in 5% of the American population, can cause serious health problems, so a new remedy would be in demand..

Scientists say: “If we understand what bacteria are needed to break down oxalate, then we can populate the human intestines with them, thereby limiting the absorption of oxalates from plant foods..

We might even be able to create such a bacterium by genetically engineering it to do the job for us.”.

Kappock says their results have other uses as well.. Scientists and bioengineers who are interested in mapping and reprogramming microbial metabolism now know what exactly another bacterial gene product does.. He said: "

Kappock and his team's research was funded by Purdue University, the US National Science Foundation, and the US Department of Energy..

medbe. en.