Characteristics of the glucose oxidase at different surfaces

Combining an optical resonance biosensor with enzyme activity kinetics to understand protein adsorption and denaturation

Understanding protein adsorption and resultant conformation changes on modified and unmodified silicon dioxide surfaces is a subject of keen interest in biosensors, microfluidic systems and for medical diagnostics. However, it has been proven difficult to investigate the kinetics of the adsorption process on these surfaces as well as understand the topic of the denaturation of proteins and its effect on enzyme activity. A highly sensitive optical whispering gallery mode (WGM) resonator was used to study a catalytic enzyme's adsorption processes on different silane modified glass substrates (plain glass control, DETA, 13 F, and SiPEG). The WGM sensor was able to obtain high resolution kinetic data of glucose oxidase (GO) adsorption with sensitivity of adsorption better than that possible with SPR. The kinetic data, in combination with a functional assay of the enzyme activity, was used to test hypotheses on adsorption mechanisms. By fitting numerical models to the WGM sensograms for protein adsorption, and by confirming numerical predictions of enzyme activity in a separate assay, we were able to identify mechanisms for GO adsorption on different alkylsilanes and infer information about the adsorption of protein on nanostructured surfaces.

A new method for immobilization of acetylcholinesterase

A new method for immobilization of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to alginate gel beads by activating the carbonyl groups of alginate using carbodiimide coupling agent has been successfully developed. Maximum reaction rate (V (max)) and Michaelis-Menten constant (K (m)) were determined for the free and binary immobilized enzyme. The effects of pH, temperature, storage stability, reuse number and thermal stability on the free and immobilized AChE were also investigated. For the free and binary immobilized enzyme on the Ca-alginate gel beads, optimum pH values were found to be 7 and 8, respectively. Optimum temperatures for the free and immobilized enzyme were observed to be 30 and 35 degrees C, respectively. Upon 60 days of storage the preserved activity of free and immobilized enzyme were found as 4 and 68%, respectively. In addition, reuse number, and thermal stability of the free AChE were increased by as a result of binary immobilization.

A comparison of different strategies for the construction of amperometric enzyme biosensors using gold nanoparticle-modified electrodes

A comparison of the analytical performances of several enzyme biosensor designs, based on the use of different tailored gold nanoparticle-modified electrode surfaces, is discussed. Glucose oxidase (GOx) and the redox mediator tetrathiafulvalene were coimmobilized in all cases by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. The biosensor designs tested were based on the use of (i) colloidal gold (Au(coll)) bound on cysteamine (Cyst) monolayers self-assembled on a gold disk electrode (AuE) and (ii) glassy carbon electrodes (GCEs) modified with electrodeposited gold nanoparticles (nAu). The results obtained with these designs were compared with those provided by a GOx/Cyst-AuE and a GOx/MPA-AuE. In the second case (ii), configurations based on direct immobilization of GOx on nAu (GOx/nAu-GCE) or on Cyst or MPA self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) previously bound on gold nanoparticles (GOx/Cyst-nAu-GCE or GOx/MPA-nAu-GCE, respectively) were compared. The analytical characteristics of glucose calibration plots and the kinetic parameters of the enzyme reaction were compared for all of the biosensors tested. The GOx/Au(coll)-Cyst-AuE design showed a sensitivity for glucose determination higher than that achieved with GOx/Cyst-AuE and GOx/Au(coll)-Cyst/Cyst-AuE and similar to that achieved with GOx/MPA-AuE. Moreover, the useful lifetime of one single GOx/Au(coll)-Cyst-AuE was 28 days, remarkably longer than that of the other GOx biosensor designs.

Immobilisation of glucose oxidase within metallic nanotubes arrays for application to enzyme biosensors

Arrays of nanoscopic gold tubes were prepared by electroless deposition of the metal within the pores of polycarbonate particle track-etched membranes (PTM). Glucose oxidase (Gox) was immobilised onto preformed self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) (mercaptoethylamine or mercaptopropionic acid) on electroless gold via cross-linking with glutaraldehyde or covalent attachment by carbodiimide coupling. The effectiveness of the different steps in the Gox immobilisation procedure was assessed by contact angle measurements, cyclic voltammetry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The enzyme loading was estimated by radioactivity measurements. The sensitivity to beta-glucose of these different biosensors has been evaluated. Glucose responses as large as 400 nA mM(-1) cm(-2) have been obtained. To our knowledge, this sensitivity value is amongst the highest values reported in the literature for comparable biosensor systems.

Parameters important in tuning the response of monolayer enzyme electrodes fabricated using self-assembled monolayers of alkanethiols

Enzyme electrodes were observed experimentally to have a broad dynamic range, high sensitivity and excellent reproducibility. The theoretically predicted response of the monolayer enzyme electrodes was in good agreement with that observed experimentally over the broad range of experimental conditions tested. The response is limited by the rate of enzyme turnover by a mediating species rather than mass transport. As a consequence of this limitation, the response was very sensitive to the enzyme loading and the concentration of mediator in the sample solution but insensitive to mass transport variables such as solution stirring or the diffusion coefficients of the substrate or cosubstrate.