Electronic wiring of a multi-redox site membrane protein in a biomimetic surface architecture

Bioelectronic coupling of multi-redox-site membrane proteins was accomplished with cytochrome c oxidase (CcO) as an example. A biomimetic membrane system was used for the oriented immobilization of the CcO oxidase on a metal electrode. When the protein is immobilized with the CcO binding side directed toward the electrode and reconstituted in situ into a lipid bilayer, it is addressable by direct electron transfer to the redox centers. Electron transfer to the enzyme via the spacer, referred to as electronic wiring, shows an exceptionally high rate constant. This allows a kinetic analysis of all four consecutive electron transfer steps within the enzyme to be carried out. Electron transfer followed by rapid scan cyclic voltametry in combination with surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy provides mechanistic and structural information about the heme centers. Probing the enzyme under turnover conditions showed mechanistic insights into proton translocation coupled to electron transfer. This bioelectronic approach opens a new field of activity to investigate complex processes in a wide variety of membrane proteins.     

Conformational transitions and redox potential shifts of cytochrome P450 induced by immobilization

Cytochrome P450 (P450) from Pseudomonas putida was immobilized on Ag electrodes coated with self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) via electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions as well as by covalent cross-linking. The redox and conformational equilibria of the immobilized protein were studied by potential-dependent surface-enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy. All immobilization conditions lead to the formation of the cytochrome P420 (P420) form of the enzyme. The redox potential of the electrostatically adsorbed P420 is significantly more positive than in solution and shows a steady downshift upon shortening of the length of the carboxyl-terminated SAMs, i.e., upon increasing the strength of the local electric field. Thus, two opposing effects modulate the redox potential of the adsorbed enzyme. First, the increased hydrophobicity of the heme environment brought about by immobilization on the SAM tends to upshift the redox potential by stabilizing the formally neutral ferrous form. Second, increasing electric fields tend to stabilize the positively charged ferric form, producing the opposite effect. The results provide insight into the parameters that control the structure and redox properties of heme proteins and contribute to the understanding of the apparently anomalous behavior of P450 enzymes in bioelectronic devices.     

Photonic activation of disulfide bridges achieves oriented protein immobilization on biosensor surfaces

Photonic induced immobilization is a novel technology that results in spatially oriented and spatially localized covalent coupling of biomolecules onto thiol-reactive surfaces. Immobilization using this technology has been achieved for a wide selection of proteins, such as hydrolytic enzymes (lipases/esterases, lysozyme), proteases (human plasminogen), alkaline phosphatase, immunoglobulins' Fab fragment (e.g., antibody against PSA [prostate specific antigen]), Major Histocompability Complex class I protein, pepsin, and trypsin. The reaction mechanism behind the reported new technology involves "photonic activation of disulfide bridges," i.e., light-induced breakage of disulfide bridges in proteins upon UV illumination of nearby aromatic amino acids, resulting in the formation of free, reactive thiol groups that will form covalent bonds with thiol-reactive surfaces (see Fig. 1). Interestingly, the spatial proximity of aromatic residues and disulfide bridges in proteins has been preserved throughout molecular evolution. The new photonic-induced method for immobilization of proteins preserves the native structural and functional properties of the immobilized protein, avoiding the use of one or more chemical/thermal steps. This technology allows for the creation of spatially oriented as well as spatially defined multiprotein/DNA high-density sensor arrays with spot size of 1 microm or less, and has clear potential for biomedical, bioelectronic, nanotechnology, and therapeutic applications.     

Bioelectrocatalysis by redox enzymes at modified electrodes

Self-assembled monolayers of thiolated compounds are used as promoters for protein-electrode reactions. They provide an anchor group based on thiol chemisorptions and also a functional group for effective interaction with the protein. These interactions are often governed by electrostatic attraction. For example, for positively charged proteins, such as cytochrome c and the selenoprotein glutathione peroxidase, mercaptoalkanoic acids have been used. Clay modification of the electrode surface has been found to facilitate the heterogeneous electron transfer process for heme proteins, e.g. cytochrome c, cytochrome P450 and myoglobin. Interestingly, nucleic acids at carbon electrodes and thiol-modified double stranded oligonucleotides act as promoters of the redox communication to proteins, whereas the mechanism is still subject to controversy interpretations. By interacting the protein immobilised at the electrode with species in solution, signal chains have been constructed. The interaction can result in a simple co-ordination or redox reaction, depending on the nature of the reaction partners. For analytical purposes, e.g. biosensors, the electrochemical redox conversion of the immobilised protein is evaluated.     

Orientation-Controlled Electrocatalytic Efficiency of an Adsorbed Oxygen-Tolerant Hydrogenase

Protein immobilization on electrodes is a key concept in exploiting enzymatic processes for bioelectronic devices. For optimum performance, an in-depth understanding of the enzyme-surface interactions is required. Here, we introduce an integral approach of experimental and theoretical methods that provides detailed insights into the adsorption of an oxygen-tolerant [NiFe] hydrogenase on a biocompatible gold electrode. Using atomic force microscopy, ellipsometry, surface-enhanced IR spectroscopy, and protein film voltammetry, we explore enzyme coverage, integrity, and activity, thereby probing both structure and catalytic H₂ conversion of the enzyme. Electrocatalytic efficiencies can be correlated with the mode of protein adsorption on the electrode as estimated theoretically by molecular dynamics simulations. Our results reveal that pre-activation at low potentials results in increased current densities, which can be rationalized in terms of a potential-induced re-orientation of the immobilized enzyme.     

Examining protein surface structure in highly conserved sequence variants with mass spectrometry

A simple mass spectrometry-based method capable of examining protein structure called SNAPP (selective noncovalent adduct protein probing) is used to evaluate the structural consequences of point mutations in naturally occurring sequence variants from different species. SNAPP monitors changes in the attachment of noncovalent adducts to proteins as a function of structural state. Mutations that lead to perturbations to the electrostatic surface structure of a protein affect noncovalent attachment and are easily observed with SNAPP. Mutations that do not alter the tertiary structure or electrostatic surface structure yield similar results by SNAPP. For example, bovine, porcine, and human insulin all have very similar backbone structures and no basic or acidic residue mutations, and the SNAPP distributions for all three proteins are very similar. In contrast, four variants of cytochrome c (cytc) have varying degrees of sequence homology, which are reflected in the observed SNAPP distributions. Bovine and pigeon cytc have several basic or acidic residue substitutions relative to horse cytc, but the SNAPP distributions for all three proteins are similar. This suggests that these mutations do not significantly influence the protein surface structure. On the other hand, yeast cytc has the least sequence homology and exhibits a unique, though related, SNAPP distribution. Even greater differences are observed for lysozyme. Hen and human lysozyme have identical tertiary structures but significant variations in the locations of numerous basic and acidic residues. The SNAPP distributions are quite distinct for the two forms of lysozyme, suggesting significant differences in the surface structures. In summary, SNAPP experiments are relatively easy to perform, require minimal sample consumption, and provide a facile route for comparison of protein surface structure between highly homologous proteins.     

Amperometric enzyme biosensors based on optimised electron-transfer pathways and non-manual immobilisation procedures

Development of reagentless biosensors implies the tight and functional immobilisation of biological recognition elements on transducer surfaces. Specifically, in the case of amperometric enzyme electrodes, electron-transfer pathways between the immobilised redox protein and the electrode surface have to be established allowing a fast electron transfer concomitantly avoiding free-diffusing redox species. Based on the specific nature of different redox proteins and non-manual immobilisation procedures possible biosensor designs are discussed, namely biosensors based on (i) direct electron transfer between redox proteins and electrodes modified with self-assembled monolayers; (ii) anisotropic orientation of redox proteins at monolayer-modified electrodes; (iii) electron-transfer cascades via redox hydrogels; and (iv) electron-transfer via conducting polymers.     

Versatile bioelectronic interfaces based on heterotrifunctional linking molecules

Bioelectronic interfaces that allow dehydrogenase enzymes to communicate with electrodes have potential applications such as biosensors and biocatalytic reactors. A major challenge in creation of such bioelectronic interfaces is to orient the enzyme, its cofactor, and an electron mediator properly with respect to the electrode in order to achieve efficient, multistep electron transfer. This paper describes a versatile, new method that uses cysteine, an inexpensive, branched amino acid having sulfhydryl, amino, and carboxyl functional groups, to achieve such orientation. This approach provides greater flexibility in assembling complex bioelectronic interfaces than previously reported approaches that bind the enzyme, cofactor, and mediator in a linear chain. Cysteine was attached to a gold electrode through the sulfhydryl groups, to the electron mediator toluidine blue O (TBO) through the carboxyl group, and to the cofactor (e.g., NAD(P)+) through the amino group. Cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, chronoamperometry and quartz crystal microbalance gravimetry were used to demonstrate the sequential assembly steps and the electrical activity of the resulting bioelectronic interface.     

Voltammetric probes of cytochrome electroreactivity: the effect of the protein matrix on outer-sphere reorganization energy and electronic coupling probed through comparisons with the behavior of porphyrin complexes

Using surface-modified electrodes composed of omega-hydroxyalkanethiols, an experimentally based value for the inner-sphere reorganization energy of the bis(imidazole)iron porphyrin system has been obtained by examining the solvent dependence of the reorganization energy of bis(N-methylimidazole)meso-tetraphenyl iron porphyrin. The value obtained (0.41 +/- 0.06 eV) is remarkably similar to values we have recently reported for the reorganization energy of cytochrome b(5) (0.43 +/- 0.02 eV) and cytochrome c (0.58 +/- 0.06 eV). This strongly suggests that the protein matrix mimics the behavior of a low dielectric solvent and effectively shields the heme from the solvent. The effect of the orientation of the heme relative to the electrode was also explored by sytematically varying the steric bulk of the axial ligands. On the basis of a good linear correlation between the electronic coupling and the cosine of the angle between the heme plane and the surface of the electrode, it is suggested that a parallel orientation of the heme yields a maximum in the electronic coupling. Relevance to interheme protein electron transfer is discussed.     

Evidence for fast and discriminatory electron transfer of proteins at modified gold electrodes

The electrochemistry of the redox proteins, cytochrome c, cytochrome b5, plastocyanin and ferredoxin at modified gold electrodes has been examined on the basis that electron transfer takes place at electroactive sites which are microscopic in size. Using this model, it is now proposed that electrochemistry of these proteins occurs at suitably modified sites with fast rates at potentials near the standard redox potential. The microscopic model implies that redox proteins and enzymes take part in fast electron transfer at specific sites on the electrode, other sites being completely ineffective. This form of molecular recognition, i.e. the ability to discriminate between the different sites on an electrode surface, mimics homogeneous redox reactions wherein redox active proteins 'recognize' their biological partners in a very specific sense. Previously, protein electrochemistry has been interpreted via use of a macroscopic model in which the proteins are transported to the electrode surface by linear diffusion followed by quasi-reversible or irreversible electron transfer to the electrode surface. The microscopic model, which assumes that the movement of the protein occurs predominantly by radial diffusion to very small sites, would appear to explain the data more satisfactorily and be consistent with biologically important, homogeneous redox reactions which are known to be fast.     

Directed immobilization of nucleic acids at ultramicroelectrodes using a novel electro-deposited polymer

A two-step method for the directed immobilization of nucleic acids at ultramicroelectrodes with micron-size dimensions is described. The approach is based on the immobilization of streptavidin at the surface of carbon or noble metal electrodes within a novel electro-deposited polymer, formed by electropolymerization of the natural compound scopoletin (7-hydroxy-6-methoxy-coumarin) at potentials between 0.4 and 0.7 V vs. Ag/AgCl. Biotin-tagged nucleic acids or proteins are immobilized on top of the modified electrodes in a second step. The new method has some advantages compared to classical electropolymerization approaches (e.g. polypyrrole, polyphenol), because the growing polymer is highly hydrophilic, resulting in efficient incorporation of streptavidin and a high biotin binding capacity of 6 pmol cm(-2). The polymer film seems to be non-conductive but shows good swelling properties in aqueous solutions. The feasibility of the method for the electro-directed biochemical modification of individual microelectrodes has been demonstrated by sequential immobilization of two different single strand oligonucleotides onto interdigitated ultramicroelectrodes. The resulting miniature DNA probe was used for single base mutation detection with two synthetic targets (fluorescence-labeled 17-mer oligomers) by evaluating the fluorescence patterns after hybridisation with the immobilised DNA probes. The new method is useful for the production of microelectrode based DNA chips and for the electro-directed immobilisation of biomolecules at microelectrode structures with high spatial resolution and yield.     

Integrating enzyme immobilization and protein engineering: An alternative path for the development of novel and improved industrial biocatalysts

Enzyme immobilization often achieves reusable biocatalysts with improved operational stability and solvent resistance. However, these modifications are generally associated with a decrease in activity or detrimental modifications in catalytic properties. On the other hand, protein engineering aims to generate enzymes with increased performance at specific conditions by means of genetic manipulation, directed evolution and rational design. However, the achieved biocatalysts are generally generated as soluble enzymes, ?thus not reusable- and their performance under real operational conditions is uncertain.Combined protein engineering and enzyme immobilization approaches have been employed as parallel or consecutive strategies for improving an enzyme of interest. Recent reports show efforts on simultaneously improving both enzymatic and immobilization components through genetic modification of enzymes and optimizing binding chemistry for site-specific and oriented immobilization. Nonetheless, enzyme engineering and immobilization are usually performed as separate workflows to achieve improved biocatalysts.In this review, we summarize and discuss recent research aiming to integrate enzyme immobilization and protein engineering and propose strategies to further converge protein engineering and enzyme immobilization efforts into a novel “immobilized biocatalyst engineering” research field. We believe that through the integration of both enzyme engineering and enzyme immobilization strategies, novel biocatalysts can be obtained, not only as the sum of independently improved intrinsic and operational properties of enzymes, but ultimately tailored specifically for increased performance as immobilized biocatalysts, potentially paving the way for a qualitative jump in the development of efficient, stable biocatalysts with greater real-world potential in challenging bioprocess applications.     

Electrochemical evaluation of glucose oxidase immobilized by different methods

Glucose oxidase electrodes were constructed on a platinum screen using polyacrylamide gel, glutaraldehyde crosslinking, and glutaraldehyde crosslinking with +0.04 volts dc on the platinum screen as the methods of enzyme immobilization. The electrodes were evaluated in an electrochemical cell for the oxidation of glucose at the enzyme electrode and the reduction of oxygen at a platinum auxiliary electrode, using constant current voltametry or under external load operation. The method of immobilization affected the extrapolated opencircuit potential as well as the half-cell potential and the steady current under external load operation. The charged glutaraldehyde electrode gave the best current performance; however, the small output (microamps) indicated that major problems in electron transfer from an enzyme catalyst to an external circuit must be resolved before such electrodes can be used in practical application.     

Peptide nanowires for coordination and signal transduction of peroxidase biosensors to carbon nanotube electrode arrays

A strategy of metallizing peptides to serve as conduits of electronic signals that bridge between a redox enzyme and a carbon-nanotube electrode has been developed with enhanced results. In conjunction, a protocol to link the biological elements to the tips of carbon nanotubes has been developed to optimize contact and geometry between the redox enzyme and the carbon nanotube electrode array. A peptide nanowire of 33 amino acids, comprised of a leucine zipper motif, was mutated to bind divalent metals, conferring conductivity into the peptide. Reaction between a thiolate of the peptide with the sulfenic acid of the NADH peroxidase enzyme formed a peptide-enzyme assembly that are fully primed to transduce electrons out of the enzyme active site to an electrode. Scanning electron microscopy shows immobilization and linking of the assembly specifically to the tips of carbon nanotube electrodes, as designed. Isothermal titration calorimetry and mass spectrometry indicate a binding stoichiometry of at least three metals bound per peptide strand. Overall, these results highlight the gain that can be achieved when the signal tranducing units of a biosensor are aligned through directed peptide chemistry.     

Directed covalent immobilization of fluorescently labeled cytokines

Cytokines are important mediators coordinating inflammation and wound healing in response to tissue damage and infection. Therefore, immobilization of cytokines on the surface of biomaterials is a promising approach to improve biocompatibility. Soluble cytokines signal through receptors on the cell surface leading to cell differentiation, proliferation, or other effector functions. Random immobilization of cytokines on surfaces will result in a large fraction of inactive protein due to impaired cytokine--receptor interaction. We developed a strategy that combined (i) directed covalent coupling of cytokines, (ii) quantification of coupling efficiency through fluorescence detection, and (iii) a reliable protease cleavage assay to control orientation of coupling. For this purpose, fusion proteins of the SNAP-tag followed by an enterokinase recognition site, yellow fluorescent protein (YFP), and the cytokine of interest being either interleukin-6 (IL-6) or oncostatin M (OSM) were generated. The SNAP-tag is a derivative of O(6)-alkylguanine-DNA alkyltransferase that couples itself covalently to benzylguanine. Bioactivities of the SNAP-YFP-cytokines were shown to be comparable with the nontagged cytokines. Efficient coupling of SNAP-YFP-cytokines to benzylguanine-modified beads was demonstrated by flow cytometry. The fact that enterokinase treatment released most of the fluorescence from the beads is indicative for directed coupling and only marginal adsorptive binding. Cellular responses to SNAP-YFP-cytokine beads were analyzed in cellular lysates and by confocal microscopy indicating that the directionally immobilized cytokines are fully signaling competent with respect to the activation of ERK and STAT3. The strategy presented here is generally applicable for the directed covalent immobilization of fluorescently labeled proteins including the convenient and reliable control of coupling efficiency and orientation.     

Myoglobin immobilization on electrodeposited nanometer-scale nickel oxide particles and direct voltammetry

Prosperity of information on the reactions of redox-active sites in proteins can be attained by voltammetric studies in which the protein sample is located on a suitable surface. This work reports the presentation of myoglobin/nickel oxide nanoparticles/glassy carbon (Mb/NiO NPs/GC) electrode, ready by electrochemical deposition of the NiO NPs on glassy carbon electrode and myoglobin immobilization on their surfaces by the potential cycling method. Images of electrodeposited NiO NPs on the surface of glassy carbon electrode were obtained by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A pair of well-defined redox peaks for Mb(Fe(III)-Fe(II)) was obtained at the prepared electrode by direct electron transfer between the protein and nanoparticles. Electrochemical parameters of immobilized myoglobin such as formal potential (E(0')), charge transfer coefficient (alpha) and apparent heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant (k(s)) were estimated by cyclic voltammetry and nonlinear regression analysis. Biocatalytic activity was exemplified at the prepared electrode for reduction of hydrogen peroxide.     

Entropies of Redox Reactions between Proteins and Mediators: The Temperature Dependence of Reversible Electrode Potentials in Aqueous Buffers

The temperature dependencies of the reversible electrode potentials for a number of charge transfer reactions of redox mediators were used to evaluate the corresponding charge transfer entropies in Tris–HCl (pH 8) buffer. The redox mediator thermodynamic data, along with reaction enthalpy data for mediator redox protein electron transfer, were used to evaluate the charge transfer entropy for the cytochrome c redox couple [(cytc)_ox/(cytc)_red] in Tris–HCl (pH 8) buffer and were found to be equal to −16 cal/°K mol. Reversible electrode potentials at 298°K for the redox mediator half-reactions were observed to vary from −528 to +657 mV (vs NHE). Charge transfer entropies were observed to depend upon the structure of the redox mediators and to vary from −13.8 to −29.7 cal/°K mol for a closely related series of organic dications (viologens) and a value of −43.6 cal/°K mol was observed for the [Fe(CN)₆]³⁻/[Fe(CN)₆]⁴⁻couple under the same conditions. A procedure for determining charge transfer entropies of protein redox couples which cannot be studied by direct electrochemical methods is outlined. The factors contributing to the magnitude of the charge transfer entropies are discussed.     

Thermal stability of cytochrome c₅ of pressure-sensitive Shewanella livingstonensis

Cytochrome c? of pressure-sensitive Shewanella livingstonensis (SL cytc?) exhibits lower thermal stability than a highly homologous counterpart of pressure-tolerant Shewanella violacea. This stability difference is due to an enthalpic effect that can be attributed to the amino acid residue at position 50 (Leu or Lys). These cytc? proteins are appropriate materials for understanding the protein stability mechanism.     

Specific and Reversible Immobilization of Proteins Tagged to the Affinity Polypeptide C-LytA on Functionalized Graphite Electrodes

We have developed a general method for the specific and reversible immobilization of proteins fused to the choline-binding module C-LytA on functionalized graphite electrodes. Graphite electrode surfaces were modified by diazonium chemistry to introduce carboxylic groups that were subsequently used to anchor mixed self-assembled monolayers consisting of N,N-diethylethylenediamine groups, acting as choline analogs, and ethanolamine groups as spacers. The ability of the prepared electrodes to specifically bind C-LytA-tagged recombinant proteins was tested with a C-LytA-β-galactosidase fusion protein. The binding, activity and stability of the immobilized protein was evaluated by electrochemically monitoring the formation of an electroactive product in the enzymatic hydrolysis of the synthetic substrate 4-aminophenyl β-D-galactopyranoside. The hybrid protein was immobilized in an specific and reversible way, while retaining the catalytic activity. Moreover, these functionalized electrodes were shown to be highly stable and reusable. The method developed here can be envisaged as a general, immobilization procedure on the protein biosensor field.     

Direct and indirect electron transfer between electrodes and redox proteins

The direct electrochemistry of redox proteins has been achieved at a variety of electrodes, including modified gold, pyrolytic graphite and metal oxides. Careful design of electrode surfaces and electrolyte conditions are required for the attainment of rapid and reversible protein-electrode interaction. The electron transfer reactions of more complex systems, such as redox enzymes, are now being examined. The 'well-behaved' electrochemistry of redox proteins can be usefully exploited by coupling the electrode reaction to enzymes for which the redox proteins act as cofactors. In systems where direct electron transfer is very slow, small electron carriers, or mediators, may be employed to enhance the rate of electron exchange with the electrode. The organometallic compound ferrocene and its derivatives have proved particularly effective in this role. A new generation of electrochemical biosensors employs ferrocene derivatives as mediators.