Self-assembled monolayer for low density lipoprotein detection

Heparin (HEP) has been covalently immobilized onto 4-aminothiophenol (ATP) self-assembled monolayer (SAM) deposited onto gold (Au)-coated glass plate for low density lipoprotein (LDL) detection. The HEP/ATP/Au and LDL/HEP/ATP/Au electrodes have been characterized using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) measurements reveal that HEP/ATP/Au electrode is sensitive to detection of the LDL in the range 0.03 microM (10 mg/dl)-0.39 microM (130 mg/dl). The values of association and dissociation rate constants in the association phase calculated by kinetic analysis have been found to be k(a) = 9.67 x 10(1) M(-1) s(-1) and k(d) = 2.64 x 10(-4) s(-1).     

Amperometric detection of bilirubin from a micro-sensing electrode with a synthetic bilirubin imprinted poly(MAA-co-EGDMA) film

Poly(methacrylic acid-co-ethyl glycol dimethylacrylate) (poly(MAA-co-EGDMA)) imprinted with alpha-bilirubin was shown to be able to bind alpha-bilirubin in our previous work. In this work, the corresponding imprinted polymer thin film was synthesized onto a thiol treated Au electrode by surface grafting polymerization. Bilirubin was able to be detected by an Au electrode, however, the electrode was not be able to discriminate bilirubin from the other matrix components if clinical samples were used. Therefore, the imprinted material was introduced so that the modified Au electrode could specifically detect bilirubin. Optimal potential was found to be 0.55 V and this was set for the rest of experiments. The imprinting factor of 3.16 was confirmed by comparing the signals from the MIP-Au and the NIP (non-imprinted polymer)-Au electrode. Calibration of the bilirubin concentration with respect to the current by the MIP-Au electrode was made within the range of 5mg/dl and a detection sensitivity of 0.644 microA/mg/dl (2.58 microA/cm(2)/mg/dl) was obtained. Furthermore, a linear correlation of the bilirubin concentration within 1.0mg/dl versus detection current was also achieved. Bilirubin was further detected by the MIP-Au electrode in the presence of fetal bovine serum (FBS). Repeated detection of bilirubin with at least three detection batches was performed and the reproducibility of the same piece of MIP-Au electrode was confirmed. The result was compared to those obtained from the serum and the solvent solution. The results indicated the feasibility of using the bilirubin imprinted poly(MAA-co-EGDMA) film as a sensing electrode for the clinical detection of bilirubin in serum.     

Development of biosensor based on immobilized L-glutamate oxidase for determination of monosodium glutamate in food

A monosodium glutamate (MSG) biosensor with immobilized L-glutamate oxidase (L-GLOD) has been developed and studied for analysis of MSG in sauces, soup etc. The immobilized enzymatic membrane was attached with oxygen electrode with a push cap system. The detection limit of the sensor was 1 mg/dl and the standard curve was found to be linear upto 20 mg/dl. Response time of the sensor was 2 min. Cross-linking with glutaraldehyde in presence of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a spacer molecule has been used for immobilization. Optimization of the sensor was done with an increase in L-GLOD concentration (6.3-31.5 IU) and also with increase in loading volume of enzyme solution (5-20 microl). Optimization of pH and temperature was also studied. The permeability of O2 through different membrane was studied with and without immobilized L-GLOD. The enzymatic membrane was used for over 20 measurements and stability of the membrane was observed.     

Insulator semiconductor structures coated with biodegradable latexes as encapsulation matrix for urease

A new urea biosensor for clinical applications was obtained by immobilization of urease within different latex polymers functionalized by hydroxy, acetate and lactobionate groups. Responses of these biosensors based on pH-ion-selective field effect insulator-semiconductor (IS) systems to urea additions were evaluated by capacitance measurements. UV-visible spectroscopy was used to check the urease activity in various matrixes. A good retention of the catalytic urease activity in the case of the cationic polymers was observed. In addition, rotating disk electrode experiments were carried out to determine the matrix permeability characteristics. Under optimal conditions, i.e. buffer capacity corresponding to 5 mM phosphate buffer, the urea enzyme insulator semiconductor (ENIS) sensors showed a linear response for urea concentrations in the range 10(-1.5) to 10(-4)M. Furthermore, kinetic parameters for the immobilized urease were obtained from Lineweaver-Burk plot. Clearly, a fast response and a good adhesion for the urease-acetate polymer composite films, prepared without using glutaraldehyde as cross-linking agent was observed.     

Urease Immobilization on Arylamine Glass Beads and its Characterization

Jack bean urease has been immobilized on arylamine glass beads (200–400 mesh size, 75–100 Å pore size) and its properties compared with soluble enzyme. The binding of urease was 13.71 mg per gram beads. The K_m for soluble and immobilized urease for urea was 4.20 mM and 8.81 mM, respectively. V_max values of urease decreased from 200 to 43.48 μmol of ammonia formed per min per mg protein at 37°C on immobilization. Both pH and buffer ions influenced the activities of soluble as well as immobilized urease. Soluble urease exhibited pH optima at 5.5 and 8.0. However, immobilized urease showed one additional pH optimum at 6.5. In comparison to phosphate buffer, citrate buffer was inhibitory to urease activity. Immobilization of urease on arylamine glass beads resulted in improved thermal, storage and operational stability. Because of inertness of support and stability of immobilized urease, the preparation can find applications in ‘artificial kidney’ and urea estimation in biological fluids viz., blood, milk etc.     

Optimization of urease immobilization onto non-porous HEMA incorporated poly(EGDMA) microbeads and estimation of kinetic parameters.

Jack bean urease (urea aminohydrolase, EC 3.5.1.5) was immobilized onto modified non-porous poly(ethylene glycol dimethacrylate/2-hydroxy ethylene methacrylate), (poly(EGDMA/HEMA)), microbeads prepared by suspension copolymerization for the potential use in hemoperfusion columns, not previously reported. The conditions of immobilization; enzyme concentration, medium pH, substrate and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid (EDTA) presence in the immobilization medium in different concentrations, enzyme loading ratio, processing time and immobilization temperature were investigated for highest apparent activity. Immobilized enzyme retained 73% of its original activity for 75 days of repeated use with a deactivation constant kd = 3.72 x 10(-3) day(-1). A canned non-linear regression program was used to estimate the intrinsic kinetic parameters of immobilized enzyme with a low value of observable Thiele modulus (phi < 0.3) and these parameters were compared with those of free urease. The best-fit kinetic parameters of a Michaelis-Menten model were estimated as Vm = 3.318 x 10(-4) micromol/s mg bound enzyme protein, Km = 15.94 mM for immobilized, and Vm = 1.074 micromol NH3/s mg enzyme protein, Km = 14.49 mM for free urease. The drastic decrease in Vm value was attributed to steric effects, conformational changes in enzyme structure or denaturation of the enzyme during immobilization. Nevertheless, the change in Km value was insignificant for the unchanged affinity of the substrate with immobilization. For higher immobilized urease activity, smaller particle size and concentrated urease with higher specific activity could be used in the immobilization process.     

以伴刀豆球蛋白为介质定向固定化脲酶的研究

将戊二醛将伴刀豆球蛋白(ConA)和壳聚糖载体交联,然后利用ConA与脲酶糖链的特异性结合作用,实现脲酶的定向固定化.定向固定化的最适条件为戊二醛浓度3.5%、ConA浓度1mg/mL、ConA溶液pH值7.0、脲酶浓度0.4mg/mL.定向固定化脲酶的最适pH 5.0～6.0、最适温度77℃,米氏常数Km11.76mmol/L,与游离酶及非定向固定化脲酶比较,定向固定化脲酶的最适pH向酸性范围发生了偏移并有更宽的pH适用范围,最适温度提高,与底物的亲和力较大,且有较好的操作稳定性.     

以伴刀豆球蛋白为介质定向固定化脲酶的研究

将戊二醛将伴刀豆球蛋白(ConA)和壳聚糖载体交联, 然后利用ConA与脲酶糖链的特异性结合作用, 实现脲酶的定向固定化。定向固定化的最适条件为戊二醛浓度3.5%、ConA浓度1 mg/mL、ConA溶液pH值7.0、脲酶浓度 0.4 mg/mL。定向固定化脲酶的最适pH 5.0~6.0、最适温度77°C、米氏常数Km11.76 mmol/L, 与游离酶及非定向固定化脲酶比较, 定向固定化脲酶的最适pH向酸性范围发生了偏移并有更宽的pH适用范围, 最适温度提高, 与底物的亲和力较大, 且有较好的操作稳定性。     

Reagentless glucose biosensor based on direct electron transfer of glucose oxidase immobilized on colloidal gold modified carbon paste electrode

The direct electrochemistry of glucose oxidase (GOD) adsorbed on a colloidal gold modified carbon paste electrode was investigated. The adsorbed GOD displayed a pair of redox peaks with a formal potential of -(449+/-1) mV in 0.1 M pH 5.0 phosphate buffer solution. The response showed a surface-controlled electrode process with an electron transfer rate constant of (38.9+/-5.3)/s determined in the scan rate range from 10 to 100 mV/s. GOD adsorbed on gold colloid nanoparticles maintained its bioactivity and stability. The immobilized GOD could electrocatalyze the reduction of dissolved oxygen and resulted in a great increase of the reduction peak current. Upon the addition of glucose, the reduction peak current decreased, which could be used for glucose detection with a high sensitivity (8.4 microA/mM), a linear range from 0.04 to 0.28 mM and a detection limit of 0.01 mM at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3sigma. The sensor could exclude the interference of commonly coexisted uric and ascorbic acid.     

Stabilization of native and immobilized urease

The stability of native and immobilized urease isolated from Staphylococcus saprophyticus was studied at 4 degrees and 25 degrees C. The activity yield was 20% and 1.4% on the enzyme immobilization in albumin gel and latex membrane, respectively. Inactivation of native microbial urease proceeded 10 times slower in the solution containing 1 mM EDTA and 30 mM sodium sulfite. This solution contributed to a great extent to stabilization of immobilized urease both during storage in the phosphate buffer solution and in case of lyophilization.     

Preparation and characterization of urease immobilized onto porous chitosan beads for urea hydrolysis

Urease was covalently immobilized onto porous chitosan beads via primary amine groups connected to the backbone via a six-carbon linear alkyl spacer. The optimum conditions for enzyme immobilization are activating the beads with 1%(w/w) glutaraldehyde, reacting the activated beads in pH 7 buffer with the enzyme, using an enzyme to bead weight ratio of 25, and without lyophilization. Chitosan-bound urease was found to fully retain its specific activity. Properties of the immobilized urease were characterized under batch and flow conditions. Increased optimum reaction temperature, enhanced thermal stability and storage stability, and excellent reusability were found after enzyme immobilization. Continuous hydrolysis of urea solution was studied in a column packed with the enzyme-containing beads for its possible application in regenerating dialysate solution during hemodialysis.     

A poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-acryloxysuccinimide-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) composite hydrogel membrane for urease immobilization to enhance urea hydrolysis rate by temperature swing*

A composite membrane made of cross-linked poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-N-acryloxysuccinimide-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (p(NIPAAm-NAS-HEMA)) hydrogel on polyester nonwoven support has been synthesized. The composite membrane shows temperature-responsive properties similar to conventional PNIPAAm hydrogels beads, which reversibly swells below and de-swells above the lower critical solution temperature of PNIPAAm (around 32 to 33 degrees C). Diffusion of urea through the membrane was temperature-dependent with the effective diffusion coefficient at 20 degrees C being 18 times that at 60 degrees C. Urease was immobilized directly to the membrane by forming covalent bonds between its amino groups and the succinimide ester groups of the membrane. Membrane prepared with NIPAAm to NAS molar ratio of 9, and then reacted in pH 7 buffer with 6 mg of urease gave the best immobilized enzyme, where 0.102 mg protein and 5.71 U activity per cm(2) membrane, and 55% relative specific activity could be obtained. There was negligible internal mass transfer resistance for this preparation judging from the calculated effectiveness factor. Urease shows enhanced thermal stability after immobilization with the first-order inactivation rate constant at 70 degrees C decreased to 1/8 of that of free urease. Membrane-immobilized urease could be utilized in a two-compartment membrane reactor with temperature swing to substantially enhance urea hydrolysis rate. The best operating condition of the membrane reactor was with temperature cycling between 60 to 20 degrees C and with temperature change every 10 min, where concentration of product ammonia after 3 h reaction increased 3.8-folds when compared with isothermal operation at 60 degrees C.     

Short Communication: Immobilization of urease from pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) on flannel cloth using polyethyleneimine

Urease of pigeonpea has been immobilized on polyethyleneimine-activated cotton cloth followed by cross-linking with dimethyl suberimidate. Optimum immobilization (56%) was obtained at a protein loading of 1.2mg/5×5cm2 cloth piece. The immobilized enzyme stored in 0.1M Tris/acetate buffer, pH6.5, at 4°C had a t1/2 of 70 days. There was practically no leaching of the enzyme from the immobilization matrix in 15 days. The immobilized enzyme was used 7 times at an interval of 24h between each use with 75% residual activity at the end of the period. Blood urea analysis was carried out with immobilized urease for some clinical samples.     

An amperometric biosensor based on laccase immobilized onto Fe(3)O(4)NPs/cMWCNT/PANI/Au electrode for determination of phenolic content in tea leaves extract

A method is described for the construction of an amperometric biosensor for detection of phenolic compounds based on covalent immobilization of laccase onto iron oxide nanoparticles (Fe(3)O(4)NPs) decorated carboxylated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (cMWCNTs)/polyaniline (PANI) composite electrodeposited onto a gold (Au) electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The biosensor showed optimum response within 3s at pH 6.0 (0.1M sodium acetate buffer) and 35°C, when operated at 0.3V vs. Ag/AgCl. Linear range, detection limit were 0.1-10μM (lower concentration range) and 10-500μM (higher concentration range), and 0.03μM respectively. The sensor measured total phenolic content in tea leaves extract. The enzyme electrode lost 25% of its initial activity after its 150 uses over a period of 4 months, when stored at 4°C.     

Development of an amperometric sulfite biosensor based on SO(x)/PBNPs/PPY modified ITO electrode

A sulfite oxidase (SO(x)) (EC 1.8.3.1) purified from Syzygium cumini leaves was immobilized onto prussian blue nanoparticles/polypyrrole composite (PBNPs/PPY) electrodeposited onto the surface of indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode. An amperometric sulfite biosensor was fabricated using SO(x)/PBNPs/PPY/ITO electrode as working electrode, Ag/AgCl as standard and Pt wire as auxiliary electrode connected through a potentiostat. The working electrode was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) before and after immobilization of SO(x). The biosensor showed optimum response within 2s, when operated at 20mVs(-1) in 0.1M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.5 and at 35°C. Linear range and minimum detection limit were 0.5-1000μM and 0.12μM (S/N=3) respectively. There was good correlation (r=0.99) between red wine samples sulfite value by standard DTNB method and the present method. The sensor was evaluated with 97% recovery of added sulfite in red wine samples and 2.2% and 4.3% within and between batch coefficients of variation respectively. The sensor was employed for determination of sulfite level in red and white wine samples. The enzyme electrode was used 200 times over a period of 3 months when stored at 4°C.     

Polyaniline protected gold nanoparticles based mediator and label free electrochemical cortisol biosensor

Polyaniline protected gold nanoparticles (PPAuNPs) were electrophoretically deposited onto a gold electrode, and utilized to fabricate an electrochemical cortisol biosensor. Cortisol specific monoclonal antibody (C-Mab) was covalently immobilized onto the surface of a PPAuNP/Au electrode using N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide (EDC/NHS) chemistry. BSA was employed for blocking nonspecific adsorption on the electrode surface. PPAuNP formation and BSA/C-Mab/PPAuNP/Au electrode fabrication were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and electrochemical impedance techniques, respectively. Cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetric techniques were used to determine the cortisol concentration in a phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution. Results confirmed that the PPAuNP based electrode was stable during repeated scans and exhibited repeatable redox peaks. Further, the BSA/C-Mab/PPAuNP/Au electrode in the PBS buffer accurately detected cortisol in the range of 1 pM-100 nM with a sensitivity of 1.63 μAM(-1). The biosensor was found to be selective against BSA and 17-α-hydroxy progesterone. This research establishes the feasibility of using a PPAuNP based matrix for a label and mediator free electrochemical biosensor for cortisol, a stress biomarker.     

Biocatalysis of immobilized chlorophyllase in a ternary micellar system.

The immobilization of chlorophyllase was optimized by physical adsorption on various inorganic supports, including alumina, celite, Dowex-1-chloride, glass beads and silica gel. The enzyme was also immobilized in different media, including water, Tris-HCl buffer solution and a ternary micellar system containing Tris-HCl buffer solution, hexane and surfactant. The highest immobilization efficiency (84.56%) and specific activity (0.34 mumol hydrolyzed chlorophyll mg protein-1 per min) were obtained when chlorophyllase was suspended in Tris-HCl buffer solution and adsorbed onto silica gel. The effect of different ratios of chlorophyllase to the support and the optimum incubation time for the immobilization of chlorophyllase were determined to be 1-4 and 60 min, respectively. The experimental results showed that the optimum pH and temperature for the immobilized chlorophyllase were 8.0 and 35 degrees C, respectively. The use of optimized amounts of selected membrane lipids increased the specific activity of the immobilized chlorophyllase by approximately 50%. The enzyme kinetic studies indicated that the immobilized chlorophyllase showed a higher affinity towards chlorophyll than pheophytin as substrate.     

Sensitive detection of endonuclease activity and inhibition using gold nanorods

A sulfite oxidase (SO(X)) (EC 1.8.3.1) purified from Syzygium cumini leaves was immobilized onto carboxylated gold coated magnetic nanoparticles (Fe(3)O(4)@GNPs) electrodeposited onto the surface of a gold (Au) electrode through N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC)-N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) chemistry. An amperometric sulfite biosensor was fabricated using SO(X)/Fe(3)O(4)@GNPs/Au electrode as working electrode, Ag/AgCl as standard and Pt wire as auxiliary electrode. The working electrode was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) before and after immobilization of SO(X). The biosensor showed optimum response within 2s when operated at 0.2V (vs. Ag/AgCl) in 0.1 M Tris-HCl buffer, pH 8.5 and at 35 °C. Linear range and detection limit were 0.50-1000 μM and 0.15 μM (S/N=3) respectively. Biosensor was evaluated with 96.46% recovery of added sulfite in red wine and 1.7% and 3.3% within and between batch coefficients of variation respectively. Biosensor measured sulfite level in red and white wines. There was good correlation (r=0.99) between red wines sulfite value by standard DTNB (5,5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid)) method and the present method. Enzyme electrode was used 300 times over a period of 4 months, when stored at 4 °C. Biosensor has advantages over earlier biosensors that it has excellent electrocatalysis towards sulfite, lower detection limit, higher storage stability and no interference by ascorbate, cysteine, fructose and ethanol.     

Mediatorless voltammetric oxidation of NADH and sensing of ethanol

A simple, selective and sensitive method for the detection of NADH and ethanol is presented. Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of mercaptopyrimidine (MPM) and their derivatives, thiocytosine (TC) and 4,6-diamino-2-mercaptopyrimidine (DMP) on gold (Au) electrode are used for the voltammetric detection of NADH and ethanol in neutral aqueous solution. A decrease of 200-300 mV in the overpotential associated with an observable increase in the peak current was obtained for the oxidation of NADH on MPM and TC monolayer-modified electrodes without any redox mediator. The facilitated electron transfer for the oxidation of NADH at the TC monolayer is ascribed to the existence of stable cationic p-quinonoid form of TC. The electrode modified with DMP monolayer could not exhibit stable response for NADH owing to the fouling of electrode surface. The MPM and TC monolayer-modified electrodes show high selectivity and excellent sensitivity (MPM: 0.633+/-0.005 microA cm(-2) microM(-1); TC: 0.658+/-0.008 microA cm(-2) microM(-1)) towards NADH with detection limit (3sigma) of 2.5 and 0.5 microM, respectively. Presence of large excess of ascorbate (AA) does not interfere the detection of NADH and the monolayer-modified electrode shows individual voltammetric peaks for AA and NADH. Voltammetric sensing of ethanol using alcohol dehydrogenase on MPM and TC monolayer-modified electrode is successfully demonstrated and these electrode can detect as low as 0.5 mM ethanol in neutral pH. The sensitivity of the MPM and TC monolayer-modified electrodes toward ethanol was found to be 3.24+/-0.03 and 3.435+/-0.04 microA cm(-2) mM(-1), respectively.     

Influence of liquid medium and surface morphology on the response of QCM during immobilization and hybridization of short oligonucleotides

With the goal of developing a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)-based DNA sensor, we have conducted an in situ QCM study along with fluorescence measurements using oligonucleotides (15-mer) as a model single-stranded DNA (ss-DNA) in two different aqueous buffer solutions; the sequence of 15-mer is a part of iduronate-2-sulphate exon whose mutation is known to cause Hunter syndrome, and the 15-mer is thiolated to be immobilized on the Au-coated quartz substrate. The fluorescence data indicate that the initial immobilization as well as the subsequent hybridization with a complementary strand is hardly dependent on the kind of buffer solution. In contrast, the mass increases deducible from the decrease of QCM frequency via the Sauerbrey equation are 2.7-6.2 and 3.0-4.4 times larger than the actual mass increases, as reflected in the fluorescence measurements, for the immobilization and the subsequent hybridization processes, respectively. Such an overestimation is attributed to the trapping of solvent as well as the formation of quite a rigid hydration layer associated with the higher viscosities and/or densities of the buffer solutions. Another noteworthy observation is the excessively large frequency change that occurs when the gold electrode is deposited in advance with Au nanoparticles. This clearly illustrates that the QCM detection of DNA hybridization is also affected greatly by the surface morphology of the electrode. These enlarged signals are altogether presumed to be advantageous when using a QCM system as an in situ probing device in DNA sensors.