Uric acid nitrogen recycling into proteins and nucleic acids has been shown in insects and crustaceans (Potrikus & Breznak, 1981; Cochran, 1985; Buckner et al., 1985; Linton & Greenaway, 1997; Dillaman et al., 1999; López-Sánchez et al., 2009).
The first step in the recycling chain of events requires the activity of urate oxidase, which was here shown in different organs of active snails (Table 3). After 45 days of estivation, however, urate oxidase activity dropped dramatically in all studied tissues, and only a partial and sustained recovery was observed after arousal in the midgut gland. The results support the possibility of uric acid nitrogen reutilization, but this would have to be determined directly.