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High throughput method for measuring urease activity in soil.

Irene Cordero1, Helen Snell1, Richard D Bardgett1

  • 1School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Michael Smith Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9PT, United Kingdom.

Soil Biology & Biochemistry
|July 6, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

A new colorimetric microplate method offers a fast and reproducible way to measure urease activity in soil. This technique enhances soil enzyme profiling and nitrogen mineralization assessments.

Keywords:
AmmoniumMicroplate methodNitrogen cycleSoil enzymesUrea amidohydrolase

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Area of Science:

  • Soil Science
  • Enzymology
  • Environmental Chemistry

Background:

  • Extracellular enzymes are crucial for soil organic matter decomposition and soil health assessment.
  • Urease enzyme activity is a key indicator of soil nitrogen (N) mineralization, but traditional measurement methods are time-consuming.
  • Current limitations hinder the routine inclusion of urease analysis in standard soil enzyme profiling.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop a rapid, high-throughput, and reproducible colorimetric microplate method for quantifying soil urease activity.
  • To optimize conditions for urease analysis in various grassland soil types.
  • To provide a more efficient alternative for assessing soil nitrogen cycling potential.

Main Methods:

  • Incubation of soil slurries in 96-deepwell blocks with urea substrate.
  • Colorimetric measurement of ammonium production as an indicator of urease activity.
  • Comparison with existing methods and optimization of soil slurry concentration, substrate concentration, incubation time, and salt concentration.

Main Results:

  • The developed microplate method demonstrated comparable results to existing techniques.
  • Optimal conditions for soil slurry concentration, substrate concentration, incubation times, and extractant salt concentration were determined for grassland soils.
  • The new method significantly reduces assay time and increases throughput compared to traditional methods.

Conclusions:

  • The novel colorimetric microplate technique provides a faster, more precise, and higher-throughput alternative for measuring soil urease activity.
  • This method facilitates the routine inclusion of urease analysis in soil enzyme profiling, improving nitrogen mineralization assessments.
  • The technique is valuable for evaluating soil functionality and nitrogen dynamics in diverse soil environments.