Efeitos de compostos fenólicos sobre a atividade da urease de soja / Effects of phenolics compounds on soybean urease activity

RESUMO

Allelopathy is defined as any direct or indirect harmful effect of one plant (including microorganisms) on another through the production of chemical compounds that escape into the environment. The allelochemicals produced by microorganisms or higher plants include p-coumaric and ferulic acids: these phenolic compounds were found in soils at concentration between 0,01 mM and 0,1mM. Soybean urease (E.C.3.5.1.5) catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea, thus producing carbon dioxide and ammonia which are important for plant growth. This article analyzes a probable relation between allelopathic agents and enzymatic activity of urease. The results show that p-coumaric acids is an inhibitor of urease at high concentrations (10mM), while ferulic acid inhibits the enzyme at extremely low concentrations (10-7mM)