Adsorption, desorption, and activity of glucose oxidase on selected clay species

The adsorption of the enzyme glucose oxidase (EC 1.1.3.4) to clays followed the pattern described for other proteins as being pH dependent. Maximum adsorption occurred at or below the isoelectric point of the enzyme. The amount of enzyme adsorbed to clay was influenced by the type of clay used, and also the saturating cations. Initially adsorbed enzyme showed low specific activities, and as amounts of enzyme adsorbed approached maximum stauration of clay, specific activities increased approaching that determined for free enzyme. The adsorption of glucose oxidase involved a temperature-independent cation-exchange mechanism, and enzyme adsorbed to surfaces of clay could be desorbed in active form by elevation of pH of suspending solution. This was followed by a slower temperature-dependent fixation, probably by hydrogen bonding, which resulted in protein being irreversibly adsorbed to clay surfaces. It is proposed that on adsorption of glucose oxidase to clay surfaces unravelling of the protein structure occurred, which allowed penetration of protein into the interlamellar spaces of montmorillonite. This proposal was based on the observed expansion of montmorillonite to 23 A, and the decreases in amount of a second-protein lysozyme adsorbed with extended incubation times of glucose oxidase - clay complexes at pH 4.5.