JOURNAL OF CHILEAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY

Vol 70 No 4 (2025): Journal of The Chilean Chemical Society
Original Research Papers

Unlocking the Biocatalytic Efficiency of Factor-Independent Urate Hydroxylase from Bacillus subtilis in Petrochemical Hydrocarbon Detoxification

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  • Hajra Sohail,
  • Muhammad Naveed,
  • Tariq Aziz,
  • Abdulhakeem S Alamri,
  • Walaa F Alsanie,
  • Majid Alhomrani
Hajra Sohail
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Muhammad Naveed
Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
Tariq Aziz
Department of Food Science and Technology, College of Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen, Guangdong China
Abdulhakeem S Alamri
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Walaa F Alsanie
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Majid Alhomrani
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, The faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia.
Published April 13, 2026
Keywords
  • Toxicity Analysis,
  • Petrochemical Hydrocarbons,
  • Computational Biodegradation,
  • Factor Independent Urate Hydroxylase,
  • Biocatalytic Pathway Analysis,
  • PTM
    • ...More
    Less
How to Cite
Sohail, H., Naveed, M., Aziz, T., S Alamri, A., Alsanie, W. F., & Alhomrani, M. (2026). Unlocking the Biocatalytic Efficiency of Factor-Independent Urate Hydroxylase from Bacillus subtilis in Petrochemical Hydrocarbon Detoxification. Journal of the Chilean Chemical Society, 70(4), 6441-6449. Retrieved from https://www.jcchems.com/index.php/JCCHEMS/article/view/2906

Copyright (c) 2026 SCHQ

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Abstract

Petrochemical hydrocarbons are toxic, persistent environmental pollutants that pose serious ecological and health risks. Bioremediation using microbial enzymes offers a sustainable and effective alternative for their degradation. This study presents an in-silico analysis of Factor-independent urate hydroxylase from Bacillus subtilis to evaluate its potential in hydrocarbon biodegradation. The enzyme’s physicochemical properties revealed moderate stability and hydrophilicity, favoring activity in aqueous environments. Post-translational modification analysis predicted multiple regulatory sites, suggesting adaptability to environmental conditions. Structural modeling and validation confirmed a high-quality 3D structure suitable for molecular docking. Nine petrochemical hydrocarbons were selected for virtual screening. Docking results showed strong binding affinities, particularly with 1,2,3,4,7,8-hexachlorodibenzofuran (-7.4 kcal/mol), crystal violet (-7.3 kcal/mol), and dioxins, with key residues (e.g., ARG207, VAL211, PHE289) mediating interactions. Toxicity predictions indicated high neurotoxicity and hepatotoxicity among the compounds, highlighting the urgency for effective remediation tools. The study concludes that Factor-independent urate hydroxylase demonstrates promising interaction with harmful hydrocarbons and play a key role in microbial bioremediation. These computational findings provide a foundation for future experimental validation and potential application in cleaning up petrochemical-contaminated environments.

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