Copper-Induced Radiolytic Deactivation of α-Amylase and Catalase

It has been shown that copper ions enhance the radiolytic decomposition of diamines and amino acids (1, 2). It has been suggested that copper ions may induce radiobiological damage by enhancing the radiolytic destruction of macromolecules which are capable of forming copper complexes and which may have vital biochemical functions (3). To examine this possibility at the biochemical level, the effect of Cu++ on the radiolytic deactivation of two enzymes was investigated-namely, that of pure hog pancreas a-amylase and bovine liver catalase.