The effect of neutron radiation on the activity of urease enzyme

The urease enzyme belongs to a large family of amidohydrolases and phosphorescens [1]. The enzyme is used as a catalyst for the hydrolysis of urea to carbon dioxide and ammonia. Specifically, urea accelerates urea hydrolysis to produce ammonia and carbamates. Carbamates that are produced during hydrolysis are degraded to ammonia and carbonic acid [2]. The activity of urease, due to the production of ammonia, increases pH of the medium .Neutron radiations have a range of energy-related collisions with matter, including collisions such as elastic, non-elastic, neutron absorption, nuclear fission. In this study, pH changes during the hydrolysis by urease were measured under Neutron radiation at different times, 24, 48 and 72 hours. The solutions of enzyme (0.5mg.ml⁻¹) were prepared in phosphate buffer, pH 7. The enzyme was exposed under neutron radiation. After the desired time, the enzymatic reaction was started by adding the enzyme solution to the urea solution. The pH changes represent the activity of the enzyme. The maximum activity of the enzyme was observed in the presence of radiation and increasing the radiation time caused an increase in enzymatic activity. The effect of irradiation time is such that with increasing time, the pH changes also increase enzymatic activity which is probably due to the structural changes applied by the beam to the structure of the enzyme urease.