Enzyme Responsible for Yellow Color of Urine Identified
Discovery by University of Maryland and NIH researchers could have significant implications for conditions like jaundice and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Scientists from the University of Maryland and National Institutes of Health have identified the enzyme responsible for the yellow color of urine, called bilirubin reductase.
- The enzyme is produced by a species of bacteria that dominate the gut microbiome, known as Firmicutes.
- The discovery could have significant implications for health conditions like jaundice and inflammatory bowel disease.
- Almost all healthy adults have the enzyme, but it is often missing from newborns and individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.
- The research team believes that the absence of bilirubin reductase may contribute to infant jaundice and the formation of pigmented gallstones.
Popular Science 
New York Post 
