Question

Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium responsible for gastric ulcers, can survive in the stomach (where the pH is as low as 1.5) in part because it synthesizes large amounts of the enzyme urease. (a) Write the reaction for urea hydrolysis by urease. (b) Explain why this reaction could help establish a more hospitable environment for H. pylori, which tolerates acid but prefers to grow at near-neutral pH.

Short answer

a.

b. Urea hydrolysis reaction produces basic $N{H_4}^{+}$ and consumes $H_3{O}^{+},$ both increasing the pH value and making the suitable condition for H. pylori.

Step-by-step solution

Urea hydrolysis and its importance

The chemical process of urea hydrolysis occurs in soils, the human body, and wastewater urine diversion systems.

The biological ramifications of urea enzymatic hydrolysis are significant. Urease activity is known to be involved in human and animal diseases of the urinary and gastrointestinal tractsand reduces the efficacy of urea as a soil fertilizer.

Reaction for urea hydrolysis by urease:

Ureahydrolysisis the conversion ofureatoammonium ions (NH4⁺).

How H. pylori make the environment suitable

H. pylori survives in acidic conditions by producing urease, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea to yield ammonia, thus elevating the pH of its environment.

Urea hydrolysis reaction produces ammonia, NH4⁺ which is basic and can neutralize the acidic environment in the stomach. The second step of the reaction uses H3O⁺, helping the H.pylori even more by additionally increasing the pH value.

Therefore, in urea hydrolysis reaction,NH⁴⁺is producedalong with consumption of H₃O⁺that increases the pH value making the conditions suitable H. pylori.