Elena E. Ferapontova

Mediatorless biosensor for H2O2 based on recombinant forms of horseradish peroxidase directly adsorbed on polycrystalline gold

Four forms of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) have been used to prepare peroxidase-modified gold electrodes for mediatorless detection of peroxide: native HRP, wild type recombinant HRP, and two recombinant forms containing six-His tag at the C-terminus and at the N-terminus, respectively. The adsorption of the enzyme molecules on gold was studied by direct mass measurements with electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance. All the forms of HRP formed a monolayer coverage of the enzyme on the gold surface. However, only gold electrodes with adsorbed recombinant HRP forms exhibited high and stable current response to H(2)O(2) due to its bioelectrocatalytic reduction based on direct electron transfer between gold and HRP. The sensitivity of the gold electrodes modified with recombinant HRPs was in the range of 1.4-1.5 A M(-1) cm(-2) at -50 mV versus Agmid R:AgCl. The response to H(2)O(2) in the concentration range 0.1-40 microM was not dependent on the presence of a mediator (i.e. catechol) giving strong evidence that the electrode currents are diffusion limited. Lower detection limit for H(2)O(2) detection was 10 nM at the electrodes modified with recombinant HRPs.

RNA Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Biosensor for Selective and Label-Free Analysis of Dopamine

The inherent redox activity of dopamine enables its direct electrochemical in vivo analysis ( Venton , B. J.; Wightman, M. R. Anal. Chem. 2003, 75, 414A). However, dopamine analysis is complicated by the interference from other electrochemically active endogenous compounds present in the brain, including dopamine precursors and metabolites and other neurotransmitters (NT). Here we report an electrochemical RNA aptamer-based biosensor for analysis of dopamine in the presence of other NT. The biosensor exploits a specific binding of dopamine by the RNA aptamer, immobilized at a cysteamine-modified Au electrode, and further electrochemical oxidation of dopamine. Specific recognition of dopamine by the aptamer allowed a selective amperometric detection of dopamine within the physiologically relevant 100 nM to 5 μM range in the presence of competitive concentrations of catechol, epinephrine, norepinephrine, 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylalanine (L-DOPA), 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), methyldopamine, and tyramine, which gave negligible signals under conditions of experiments (electroanalysis at 0.185 V vs Ag/AgCl). The interference from ascorbic and uric acids was eliminated by application of a Nafion-coated membrane. The aptasensor response time was <1 s, and the sensitivity of analysis was 62 nA μM(-1) cm(-2). The proposed design of the aptasensor, based on electrostatic interactions between the positively charged cysteamine-modified electrode and the negatively charged aptamer, may be used as a general strategy not to restrict the conformational freedom and binding properties of surface-bound aptamers and, thus, be applicable for the development of other aptasensors.

Effect of cysteine mutations on direct electron transfer of horseradish peroxidase on gold

Surface exposed cysteines were genetically engineered in the structure of recombinant horseradish peroxidase (rHRP). Recombinant forms of HRP with either a His-tag or a Strep-tag at the C-terminus were produced, which additionally had cysteines at positions 57, 189 or 309 (C-terminus) of the polypeptide chain. An E. coli expression system was exploited. The effect of these mutations on the direct electron transfer (ET) between Au and the enzyme was studied in the reaction of the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of H(2)O(2), at -50 mV versus Ag/AgCl, on rHRP-modified Au electrodes placed in a wall-jet flow-through electrochemical cell. Adsorptive immobilisation of rHRPs on pre-oxidised Au from the protein solution at pH 6.0 provided a high and stable current response to H(2)O(2) due to its bioelectrocatalytic reduction based on direct (mediatorless) ET between Au and the active site of the rHRPs. Comparative analysis of the direct ET rate constants, estimated from the amperometric data on direct and mediated ET in the presence of catechol at pH 7.4 and 6.0, gave evidence that the introduction of the His-tag or cysteine in the C-terminal area of the enzyme resulted in an increased efficiency of direct ET due to a favourable coupled electron and proton transfer pathway. Due to the high efficiency of direct ET, the sensitivity was independent on the addition of the mediator or change of pH indicating that the response to H(2)O(2) is determined solely by the mass transfer of the analyte to the active site of HRP. The sensitivities obtained for the Au electrodes modified with rHRPs (2.0+/-0.1 A M(-1) cm(-2)) and the low detection limit for H(2)O(2) (10 nM) paves the way to develop the P-chip (peroxidase chip)--a biosensors system of a microscopic size for a mediatorless detection of H(2)O(2) based on direct ET between Au and the recombinant forms of HRP.

Effect of pH on direct electron transfer in the system gold electrode-recombinant horseradish peroxidase.

The effect of pH on the kinetics of the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of H(2)O(2) catalysed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been studied at -50 mV vs. Agmid R:AgCl on HRP-modified Au electrodes placed in a wall-jet flow-through electrochemical cell. Native HRP (nHRP) and a nonglycosylated recombinant form containing a six-histidine tag at the C-terminus, C(His)rHRP, produced by genetic engineering of nonglycosylated recombinant HRP using an E. coli expression system, have been used for adsorptive modification of Au electrodes. A favourable adsorption of C(His)rHRP on pre-oxidized Au from a protein solution at pH 6.0 provided a high and stable current response to H(2)O(2) due to its bioelectrocatalytic reduction based on direct (mediator-less) electron transfer (ET) between Au and the active site of HRP. The heterogeneous ET rate constant, k(s), calculated from experimental data on direct ET, on mediated ET in the presence of catechol as well as from microbalance data, increased more than 30 times when changing from nHRP to C(His)rHRP. For both forms of HRP, the increasing efficiency of bioelectrocatalysis with increasing [H(3)O(+)] was observed. The values of the apparent k(s) between C(His)rHRP and Au changed from a value of 12+/-2 s(-1) in PBS at pH 8.0 to a value of 434+/-62 s(-1) at pH 6.0; a similar k(s)-pH dependence was also observed for nHRP, providing the possibility to consider the reaction mechanism involving the participation of a proton in the rate-determining step of the charge transfer.

Effect of Serum on an RNA Aptamer-Based Electrochemical Sensor for Theophylline

Electrochemical performance of the ferrocene (Fc) redox-labeled RNA aptamer based sensor for theophylline (Th) is essentially inhibited in serum, but is restored in serum-free buffer solutions. This phenomenon is inconsistent with the data on methylene-blue-labeled aptamer beacon systems, which operational potential window is more negative compared to the Fc redox label. Electrochemical studies with a ferricyanide redox probe, having redox potential close to the Fc redox couple, and interfacial capacitance measurements unambiguously demonstrate that it is adsorption of serum proteins at positively charged electrode surface that slows down the kinetics of the electrode reactions in serum and interferes with the biosensor performance. In filtered serum solutions, in the absence of serum proteins, the Fc-labeled aptamer-based biosensor performed similarly to the pure buffer solutions, ad the signal for Th could be linearly calibrated versus Th concentration. These results on interfacial effects of serum are of particular importance for future research and development of the beacon-type biosensors for in vivo applications.

Direct electron transfer in the system gold electrode–recombinant horseradish peroxidases

The kinetics of the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of hydrogen peroxide has been studied at gold electrodes modified with different forms of horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Native HRP, wild type recombinant HRP (rec-HRP) and its two mutant forms containing a six-histidine tag at the C- or N-terminus, CHisrec-HRP and NHisrec-HRP, respectively, have been used for an adsorptive modification of the gold electrodes. The histidine sequences, i.e. histidine tags, were introduced into the peroxidase structure by genetic engineering of non-glycosylated rec-HRP using an Escherichia coli expression system. Experiments with a gold rotating disc electrode demonstrated that electrodes with the adsorbed rec-HRP forms exhibited high and stable current response to H2O2 due to its bioelectrocatalytic reduction based on direct (mediatorless) ET between gold and the active site of HRP. The heterogeneous ET rate constants were evaluated to be in the order of 20 or 33 s − 1 between rec-HRP or its histidine mutants and gold, respectively, in 0.01 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) containing 0.15 M NaCl. The increase in the heterogeneous ET rate found for CHisrec-HRP and NHisrec-HRP is probably due to the interaction of the histidine tag with the electrode surface. The kinetic data demonstrate that new possibilities for enhancing the catalytic activity of the enzyme at the electrode solution interface can be achieved by genetic engineering design of the enzyme molecules.

Effect of proton donors on direct electron transfer in the system gold electrode–horseradish peroxidase

Abstract The effect of proton donors (PD) on the direct electron transfer (ET) reaction between polycrystalline Au electrodes and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was investigated. HRP was immobilised directly on the bare Au surface. The pH of the contacting solution was varied at a constant ionic strength and the following different PDs were used as additives: H 3 O + , NH 4 + , [La(H 2 O)] 3+ , [Y(H 2 O)] 3+ , [Lu(H 2 O)] 3+ . The kinetics of the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of H 2 O 2 catalysed by HRP was studied with linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) in the potential range from 700 to −100 mV vs. SCE as well as amperometrically at −50 mV vs. Ag|AgCl with the HRP-modified Au electrodes placed in a wall-jet flow through electrochemical cell. An increase of [H 3 O + ] results in an enhancement of the current of the bioelectroreduction of H 2 O 2 due to a more facilitated direct ET between Au and the enzyme over the potential range involved. It is shown that at high overvoltages (E V ) the PDs do not affect the rate of the enzymatic reduction of H 2 O 2 but rather increase significantly the rate of direct ET between Au and HRP and the efficiency of acting as a PD is strongly correlated with their PD properties. The dependence of the apparent heterogeneous rate constant of direct ET, k s , on [H 3 O + ] makes it possible to suggest that the reaction mechanism involves the participation of a proton in the elementary step of the charge transfer.

Direct Electrochemistry of Proteins and Enzymes

Publisher Summary This chapter summarizes the achievements on direct electron transfer (DET) between redox enzymes and electrodes, with a special focus on haem and copper-containing redox enzymes. Haem enzymes involve peroxidases, catalases, cytochromes of the P450 group, and a variety of multi-cofactor complex enzymes that contain haem(s), along with other cofactors such as flavin(s), copper, and iron–sulphur cluster(s). There are a variety of electron tunneling pathways within the enzyme molecule between the redox active centre and the protein surface. The chapter presents two groups of redox enzymes: the intrinsic and extrinsic ones. To realize efficient DET between redox enzymes and electrodes, a proper orientation of the redox enzyme onto the electrode, through the site of the electron-tunneling pathways, where the partner protein commonly binds or through the domain of the active site exposed to the protein surface, becomes important. The copper sites in the redox proteins have been divided into three classes based on their spectroscopic features that reflect the geometric and electronic structure of the active site: type 1 (T1) or blue copper, type 2 (T2) or normal copper, and type 3 (T3) or coupled binuclear copper centers. The chapter describes all copper-containing proteins that are divided into four groups according to the structure of their active sites: (1) type-1 copper proteins, (2) type-2 copper enzymes, (3) type-3 copper proteins, and (4)‘‘blue’’ multi-copper oxidases.

Effect of pH on direct electron transfer between graphite and horseradish peroxidase

Abstract The effect of pH on the kinetics of the electroreduction of H 2 O 2 catalysed by horseradish peroxidase (HRP) has been studied with LSV in the potential range from 700 to −50 mV versus SCE (under steady-state conditions and with an RDE system) and at −50 mV versus Ag/AgCl on HRP-modified graphite electrodes placed in a wall-jet flow-through electrochemical cell. Increasing [H 3 O + ] was shown to enhance significantly the current of the bioelectroreduction of H 2 O 2 due to direct electron transfer (ET) between graphite and the enzyme over the potential range involved. It is demonstrated that at high overvoltages ( E 3 O + does not affect the rate of the enzymatic reduction of H 2 O 2 , but it increases the rate of direct ET between graphite and HRP. The values of the apparent rate constant of heterogeneous ET between HRP and graphite, k s , changed from a value of 0.54±0.05 s −1 in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) at pH 7.9, to a value of 11.0±1.7 s −1 in PBS at pH 6.0. Analysing the pH rate profile and the variation of the k s with increasing [H 3 O + ] made it possible to consider the reaction mechanism as implying the participation of a proton in the limiting step of charge transfer.

Electrochemical Switching with 3D DNA Tetrahedral Nanostructures Self-Assembled at Gold Electrodes

Nanomechanical switching of functional three-dimensional (3D) DNA nanostructures is crucial for nanobiotechnological applications such as nanorobotics or self-regulating sensor and actuator devices. Here, DNA tetrahedral nanostructures self-assembled onto gold electrodes were shown to undergo the electronically addressable nanoswitching due to their mechanical reconfiguration upon external chemical stimuli. That enables construction of robust surface-tethered electronic nanodevices based on 3D DNA tetrahedra. One edge of the tetrahedron contained a partially self-complementary region with a stem-loop hairpin structure, reconfigurable upon hybridization to a complementary DNA (stimulus DNA) sequence. A non-intercalative ferrocene (Fc) redox label was attached to the reconfigurable tetrahedron edge in such a way that reconfiguration of this edge changed the distance between the electrode and Fc.