Urease

Entire Molecule

Urease is an enzyme containing nickel, which increases the rate of hydrolysis of urea by ca. 10¹⁴ times.

In this reaction, urea is converted to ammonia (NH₃) and carbon dioxide (CO₂).

Urease has three identical subunits. One of these units is shown in the picture.

Each subunit has an active site with two coordinated Ni²⁺ ions.

These ions are coordinated to the molecule by the heteroatoms of the amino acids.

  Molecule section with active site