Struvite Stone Formation by Ureolytic Biofilm Infections

Schultz, Logan N.; Connolly, James M.; Lauchnor, Ellen G.; Hobbs, Trace; Gerlach, Robin

doi:10.1007/978-3-319-17732-8_5

Cited by 8 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Part of this increase is related to the relationship between urolithiasis and major public health problems such as metabolic syndrome [5,6]. Urinary tract infection (UTI) leading to the formation of kidney stones can also be considered a relevant factor [7,8]. In view of the increase in infection-related stones over the past two decades, UTI must always be considered a significant possible cause of urolithogenesis [9][10][11][12][13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whitlockite structures in kidney stones indicate infectious origin: a scanning electron microscopy and Synchrotron Radiation investigation

Bazin¹,

Papoular²,

Elkaı̈m³

et al. 2022

Comptes Rendus. Chimie

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Whitlockite structures in kidney stones indicate infectious origin: a scanning electron microscopy and Synchrotron Radiation investigation

Bazin¹,

Papoular²,

Elkaı̈m³

et al. 2022

Comptes Rendus. Chimie

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“…While biomineralization in urinals is due to a combination of various mechanisms, a key contributor to its formation is the hydrolysis of urea, or ureolysis, catalyzed by the microbial enzyme, urease. The prevalence, mineral composition, and formation of ureolytic crystallization is a function of urine chemistry such as the pH and ionic strength, modulators and inhibitors of crystallization, and the bacterial community [5][6][7][8][9][10]. Though ammonification of proteins and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia contributes to pH increases, ureolysis has been considered the most efficient pathway to raise pH into the range required in biomineral formation [11][12][13][14][15].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A biogeographic 16S rRNA survey of bacterial communities of ureolytic biomineralization from California public restrooms

et al. 2022

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In this study, we examined the total bacterial community associated with ureolytic biomineralization from urine drainage systems. Biomineral samples were obtained from 11 California Department of Transportation public restrooms fitted with waterless, low-flow, or conventional urinals in 2019. Following high throughput 16S rRNA Illumina sequences processed using the DADA2 pipeline, the microbial diversity assessment of 169 biomineral and urine samples resulted in 3,869 reference sequences aggregated as 598 operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Using PERMANOVA testing, we found strong, significant differences between biomineral samples grouped by intrasystem sampling location and urinal type. Biomineral microbial community profiles and alpha diversities differed significantly when controlling for sampling season. Observational statistics revealed that biomineral samples obtained from waterless urinals contained the largest ureC/16S gene copy ratios and were the least diverse urinal type in terms of Shannon indices. Waterless urinal biomineral samples were largely dominated by the Bacilli class (86.1%) compared to low-flow (41.3%) and conventional samples (20.5%), and had the fewest genera that account for less than 2.5% relative abundance per OTU. Our findings are useful for future microbial ecology studies of urine source-separation technologies, as we have established a comparative basis using a large sample size and study area.

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“…Ureolytic bacteria responsible for the biomineralization use the nickel-dependent metalloenzyme, urease, to catalyze the hydrolysis of urea into ammonia and bicarbonate which in turn raises the pH and creates conditions favorable of precipitation [4]. In a past catheter study, researchers have demonstrated that rates of calcium and magnesium encrustation caused by various ureolytic bacteria isolates are correlated with an increase in ureolytic activity [9] An elevated pH promotes calcium phosphate and oxalate stone formation due to a shift in phosphate speciation from HPO 4 2− to PO 4 3− and the decomposition of ascorbic acid into oxalate-both cases represent an increase in ion concentrations that lead to elevated encrustation rates found in catheters [10]. Ureolysis also results in carbonate and bicarbonate ion formation which can further contribute to biomineralization as the urine becomes supersaturated [11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A multiple regression assessment of the biomineral urease activity from urine drainpipes of California public restrooms

Lim

Leverenz

Wademan

et al. 2022

Sustain Environ Res

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Clogging and odor is strongly associated with ureolytic biomineralization in waterless and low-flow urinal drainage systems in high usage settings. These blockages continue to hinder widespread waterless and low-flow urinal adoption due to subsequent high maintenance requirements and hygiene concerns. Through field observations, hypothesis testing, and multiple regression analysis, this study attempts to characterize, for the first time, the ureolytic activity of the biomineralization found in alternative technologies located at 9 State-owned restrooms. Multiple regression analysis (n = 55, df = 4, R2 = 0.665) suggests that intrasystem sampling location ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 1.23, p < 0.001), annual users per rest area ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 0.5, p = 0.004), and the volatile solids to total solids mass fraction ($$ \hat{\upbeta} $$ β ̂ = 0.59, p = 0.003), are statistically significant influencers of the ureolytic activity of biomineral samples (p < 0.05). Conversely, ureC gene abundance (p = 0.551), urinal type (p = 0.521) and sampling season (p = 0.956) are not significant predictors of biomineral ureolytic activity. We conclude that high concentrations of the urease alpha subunit, ureC, which can be interpreted as proxy measure of a strong, potentially ureolytic community, does not necessarily mean that the gene is being expressed. Future studies should assess ureC transcriptional activity to measure gene expression rather than gene abundance to assess the relationship between environmental conditions, their role in transcription, and urease activities. In sum, this study presents a method to characterize biomineral ureolysis. This study establishes baseline values for future ureolytic inhibition treatment studies that seek to improve the usability of urine collection and related source separation technologies.

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Struvite Stone Formation by Ureolytic Biofilm Infections

Cited by 8 publications

References 26 publications

Whitlockite structures in kidney stones indicate infectious origin: a scanning electron microscopy and Synchrotron Radiation investigation

Whitlockite structures in kidney stones indicate infectious origin: a scanning electron microscopy and Synchrotron Radiation investigation

A biogeographic 16S rRNA survey of bacterial communities of ureolytic biomineralization from California public restrooms

A multiple regression assessment of the biomineral urease activity from urine drainpipes of California public restrooms

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