Mechanism of inhibition of ribonuclease by bentonite

Abstract

A study of the mode of inhibition of RNase by bentonite showed that the inactivation of the enzyme could not be attributed solely to an ion-exchange effect as previously postulated. Vermiculite, which is a clay with higher cation capacity than bentonite, showed very little inactivation of RNase. The spatial arrangement of the clay matrix must also play an important role in accommodating the enzyme molecule. Inactivation of the enzyme by photooxidation did not alter the retention of RNase by bentonite.