Alina N. Sekretaryova

Cholesterol Self-Powered Biosensor

Monitoring the cholesterol level is of great importance, especially for people with high risk of developing heart disease. Here we report on reagentless cholesterol detection in human plasma with a novel single-enzyme, membrane-free, self-powered biosensor, in which both cathodic and anodic bioelectrocatalytic reactions are powered by the same substrate. Cholesterol oxidase was immobilized in a sol-gel matrix on both the cathode and the anode. Hydrogen peroxide, a product of the enzymatic conversion of cholesterol, was electrocatalytically reduced, by the use of Prussian blue, at the cathode. In parallel, cholesterol oxidation catalyzed by mediated cholesterol oxidase occurred at the anode. The analytical performance was assessed for both electrode systems separately. The combination of the two electrodes, formed on high surface-area carbon cloth electrodes, resulted in a self-powered biosensor with enhanced sensitivity (26.0 mA M(-1) cm(-2)), compared to either of the two individual electrodes, and a dynamic range up to 4.1 mM cholesterol. Reagentless cholesterol detection with both electrochemical systems and with the self-powered biosensor was performed and the results were compared with the standard method of colorimetric cholesterol quantification.

Electrocatalytic Currents from Single Enzyme Molecules

Single molecule enzymology provides an opportunity to examine details of enzyme mechanisms that are not distinguishable in biomolecule ensemble studies. Here we report, for the first time, detection of the current produced in an electrocatalytic reaction by a single redox enzyme molecule when it collides with an ultramicroelectrode. The catalytic process provides amplification of the current from electron-transfer events at the catalyst leading to a measurable current. This new methodology monitors turnover of a single enzyme molecule. The methodology might complement existing single molecule techniques, giving further insights into enzymatic mechanisms and filling the gap between fundamental understanding of biocatalytic processes and their potential for bioenergy production.

Reagentless biosensor based on glucose oxidase wired by the mediator freely diffusing in enzyme containing membrane.

Wiring glucose oxidase in the membrane with an immobilized mediator is possible due to the diffusion ability of the latter, if the enzyme containing membrane is formed according to the proposed protocol, including exposing proteins to water-organic mixtures with the high content of organic solvent. In the course of the study, the new glucose oxidase mediator, unsubstituted phenothiazine, was discovered. The diffusion coefficient of the mediator in the resulting membrane is independent of the presence of enzyme. The cyclic voltammograms of the enzyme electrode after appearance of the only glucose in solution obtain a well-defined catalytic shape, which is normally observed for both the enzyme and the mediator in solution. Analytical performances of the resulting biosensor are comparable to the advanced second generation ones, which, however, require covalent linking of the mediator either to the membrane forming polymer or to the enzyme. Even without such covalent linking, the reported biosensor is characterized by an appropriate long-term operational stability allowing reagentless sensing.

Bioelectrocatalytic systems for health applications.

We present a brief overview of bioelectrocatalytic devices for in vitro health applications, including food safety and environmental analysis, focusing on microelectrode- and microfluidic-based biosensors, paper-based point-of-care devices and wearable biosensors. The main hurdles and future perspectives are discussed. We then consider the role of electron transfer between a biocatalyst and an electrode in biosensor design. Brief descriptions of indirect, direct and mediated mechanisms are given. The principal strategies, as well as recent developments for modulation of electron transfer in biocatalytic systems are summarised. In conclusion, we highlight some of the challenges associated with improving these redox systems.

Unsubstituted phenothiazine as a superior water-insoluble mediator for oxidases

The mediation of oxidases glucose oxidase (GOx), lactate oxidase (LOx) and cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) by a new electron shuttling mediator, unsubstituted phenothiazine (PTZ), was studied. Cyclic voltammetry and rotating-disk electrode measurements in nonaqueous media were used to determine the diffusion characteristics of the mediator and the kinetics of its reaction with GOx, giving a second-order rate constant of 7.6 × 10(3)-2.1 × 10(4)M(-1)s(-1) for water-acetonitrile solutions containing 5-15% water. These values are in the range reported for commonly used azine-type mediators, indicating that PTZ is able to function as an efficient mediator. PTZ and GOx, LOx and ChOx were successfully co-immobilised in sol-gel membrane on a screen-printed electrode to construct glucose, lactate and cholesterol biosensors, respectively, which were then optimised in terms of stability and sensitivity. The electrocatalytic oxidation responses showed a dependence on substrate concentration ranging from 0.6 to 32 mM for glucose, from 19 to 565 mM for lactate and from 0.015 to 1.0mM for cholesterol detection. Oxidation of substrates on the surface of electrodes modified with PTZ and enzyme membrane was investigated with double-step chronoamperometry and the results showed that the PTZ displays excellent electrochemical catalytic activities even when immobilised on the surface of the electrode.

Correction to “Electrocatalytic Currents from Single Enzyme Molecules”

from panel d since their probability in the log-normal distribution used for the data fitting was close to zero. We now think that such an omission might lead to misunderstanding of the data. Therefore, Figure 2d should be replaced by the figure shown below, which includes all the data and in which the data are grouped differently. Page 2506. In the discussion of Figure 2d, including the turnover numbers omitted previously leads to a slight change in the mean value calculated from the log-normal distribution. The new value, (3.6 ± 0.4) × 10 s−1, is, however, within the error margin of the value originally reported in the paper as 3.8 × 10 s−1. Thus, this amendment does not influence the conclusions drawn in the paper. Figure 2. (d) Distribution of turnover rates of the enzyme molecules, calculated from the collision experiments using the current peak height value and combined in groups with a step of 2 × 10 s−1, fitted by lognormal statistics. The mean value is (3.6 ± 0.4) × 10 s−1. Addition/Correction