Overview
- A Georgetown-led team chemically characterized solid urine from more than 20 reptile species in a study published October 22 in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
- Microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed textured microspheres built from uric acid monohydrate nanocrystals as a shared structural basis across taxa.
- Advanced snake lineages largely excrete ammonium urate hydrate, whereas primitive lineages are richer in uric acid monohydrate.
- Immersing UAM-rich urates in ammonium hydroxide produced AUH-like granules with matching diffraction profiles, supporting a uric-acid–driven ammonia sequestration pathway.
- The findings suggest a nitrogen and salt management strategy that reduces toxicity and saves water, with speculative implications for human gout and kidney stone research.