Scientists discover this enzyme is responsible for urine's yellow hue

Have you ever wondered about the scientific explanation behind the yellow hues of urine? Scientists have been hunting for a culprit that turns human yellow recently. Researchers at the University of Maryland and the National Institutes of Health identified the microbial enzyme responsible for giving urine its yellow hue – bilirubin reductase.

Long anticipated mystery unraveled The discovery of the enzyme responsible for urine's yellow color unleashed a prolonged mystery in biology that grappled scientists for decades. The new research particularly explored the role of the gut in conditions such as jaundice and inflammatory bowel disease.

It shed light on health implications related to bilirubin levels and microbial impact. Lead author Brantley Hall, also an assistant professor in the University of Maryland's Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, stated: "This enzyme discovery finally unravels the mystery behind urine's yellow color," "It's remarkable that an everyday biological phenomenon went unexplained for so long, and our team is excited to be able to explain it," he added.

The scientists noted in a that as red blood cells degrade over six months, a byproduct, a bright orange pigment known as bilirubin, is generated. The statement said this pigment – bilirubin is usually released into the gut and can be partially reabsorbed. Excessive reabsorption could result in bilirubin accumulation in the bloodstream, causing jaundice, which leads to skin and eye discoloration.

Within the gut, microorganisms can transform bilirubin into alternative molecules. Emphasizing gut liver axis "Gut microbes encode the enzyme bilirubin reductase that converts bilirubin into a colorless byproduct called urobilinogen," Hall explained. "Urobilinogen then spontaneously degrades into a molecule called urobilin, responsible for the yellow color we are all familiar with.

This fascinating discovery of this enzyme will potentially help specialists better understand the relationship between gut bacteria, bilirubin levels, and various health conditions. The research strives to expand the grasp of the gut microbiome's impact on human health beyond jaundice and inflammatory bowel disease towards conditions like allergies, arthritis, and psoriasis.

Scientists further uncovered that while bilirubin reductase is present in most healthy adults, it's often missing in newborns and individuals with inflammatory bowel disease. According to the statements, researchers believe that the absence of the enzyme may contribute to infants' jaundice and pigmented gallstones' appearance.

"Now that we've identified this enzyme, we can start investigating how the bacteria in our gut impact circulating bilirubin levels and related health conditions like jaundice," stated Xiaofang Jiang study co author and NIH Investigator Xiaofang Jiang. "This discovery lays the foundation for understanding the gut liver axis." The was published in the journal on January 3..