Amperometric Detection of the Urinary Disease Biomarker p-HPA by Allosteric Modulation of a Redox Polymer-Embedded Bacterial Reductase.

We report an amperometric biosensor for the urinary disease biomarker para-hydroxyphenylacetate ( p-HPA) in which the allosteric reductase component of a bacterial hydroxylase, C1-hpah, is electrically wired to glassy carbon electrodes through incorporation into a low-potential Os-complex modified redox polymer. The proposed biosensing strategy depends on allosteric modulation of C1-hpah by the binding of the enzyme activator and analyte p-HPA, stimulating oxidation of the cofactor NADH. The pronounced concentration-dependence of allosteric C1-hpah modulation in the presence of a constant concentration of NADH allowed sensitive quantification of the target, p-HPA. The specific design of the immobilizing redox polymer with suitably low working potential allowed biosensor operation without the risk of co-oxidation of potentially interfering substances, such as uric acid or ascorbic acid. Optimized sensors were successfully applied for p-HPA determination in artificial urine, with good recovery rates and reproducibility and sub-micromolar detection limits. The proposed application of the allosteric enzyme C1-hpah for p-HPA trace electroanalysis is the first successful example of simple amperometric redox enzyme/redox polymer biosensing in which the analyte acts as an effector, modulating the activity of an immobilized biocatalyst. A general advantage of the concept of allosterically modulated biosensing is its ability to broaden the range of approachable analytes, through the move from substrate to effector detection.

Tuned Amperometric Detection of Reduced ß-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide by Allosteric Modulation of the Reductase Component of the p-Hydroxyphenylacetate Hydroxylase Immobilized within a Redox Polymer.

We report the fabrication of an amperometric NADH biosensor system that employs an allosterically modulated bacterial reductase in an adapted osmium(III)-complex-modified redox polymer film for analyte quantification. Chains of complexed Os(III) centers along matrix polymer strings make electrical connection between the immobilized redox protein and a graphite electrode disc, transducing enzymatic oxidation of NADH into a biosensor current. Sustainable anodic signaling required (1) a redox polymer with a formal potential that matched the redox switch of the embedded reductase and avoided interfering redox interactions and (2) formation of a cross-linked enzyme/polymer film for stable biocatalyst entrapment. The activity of the chosen reductase is enhanced upon binding of an effector, i.e. p-hydroxy-phenylacetic acid ( p-HPA), allowing the acceleration of the substrate conversion rate on the sensor surface by in situ addition or preincubation with p-HPA. Acceleration of NADH oxidation amplified the response of the biosensor, with a 1.5-fold increase in the sensitivity of analyte detection, compared to operation without the allosteric modulator. Repetitive quantitative testing of solutions of known NADH concentration verified the performance in terms of reliability and analyte recovery. We herewith established the use of allosteric enzyme modulation and redox polymer-based enzyme electrode wiring for substrate biosensing, a concept that may be applicable to other allosteric enzymes.