Localization of urease activity in Ureaplasma urealyticum cells

Abstract

Measurements of urease activity of various cell fractions of U. urealyticum showed that this activity was confined to the soluble fraction of the cytoplasm. It was attempted to devise a method for electron microscopic detection of the sites of urease activity based on precipitation of electron dense MnO2 at the alkaline pH created by hydrolysis of urea. The results obtained by this method supported the previous results indicating a cytoplasmatic localization of the urease activity in the cells. Helical ribosome patterns were observed when glutaraldehyde fixed cells were treated with the cytochemical test solutions.