Reply to comments on: Synthesis and characterization of a novel nickel pillared-clay catalyst: In-situ carbon nanotube–clay hybrid nanofiller from Ni-PILC

Abstract

A key question for the investigation of the origins of life is to understand the interaction between complex organic molecules and minerals. In this general frame, the present study investigated the nature of the interactions at the molecular level between a ribonucleic acid and ion-exchanged montmorillonites. We observed that the formation of RNA/clay mineral complexes was strongly pH-dependent. In a sufficiently acidic medium, the RNA molecules were intercalated in the interlayer space, in a flat-lying conformation, with a large contribution of electrostatic interactions that may be complemented by hydrogen bonds. The secondary structure of the RNA strands was strongly affected. The presence of different cations such as Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Sr2+ influenced the adsorption of organic molecules. Apparently, metal cations directly took part in the formation of bridges between the negative charges on the mineral surface and the phosphate groups of the biomolecule.