Electron transfer and electrocatalytic properties of the immobilized methionine80alanine cytochrome c variant

The M80A variant of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (cytc), which features a noncoordinating Ala residue in place of the axial heme iron Met ligand, was chemisorbed on a gold electrode coated with 4-mercaptopyridine or carboxyalkanethiol self-assembled monolayers (SAM) and investigated by cyclic voltammetry at varying conditions of temperature, pH, and O2 concentration. The E degrees ' value (standard reduction potential for the heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple) of M80A cytc on both SAMs is of approximately -200 mV (vs the standard hydrogen electrode, SHE) at pH 7, which is more than 400 mV lower than that of native cytochrome c in the same conditions. The thermodynamics of Fe(III) to Fe(II) reduction and the kinetics of heterogeneous electron transfer (ET) are dominated by the presence of a hydroxide ion as the sixth axial heme iron ligand above pH 6. On both SAMs, protonation of the bound hydroxide ion is mainly responsible for the changes in these parameters at low pH, since the distances of ET between the heme and the electrode are found to be independent of pH in the range of 5-11. The invariance of the electrochemical features up to pH 11 indicates that no changes in heme iron coordination occur at high pH, at variance with native cytc. Most notably, immobilized M80A cytc is found to act as an efficient biocatalyst for O2 reduction from pH 5 to 11.0. This finding makes M80A cytc a suitable candidate as a constituent of a biocatalytic interface for O2 biosensing and opens the way for the exploitation of engineered cytochrome c in the bio-based detection of chemicals of environmental and clinical interest.     

Biomaterial engineered electrodes for bioelectronics

A series of single-cysteine-containing cytochrome c, Cyt c, heme proteins including the wild-type Cyt c (from Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and the mutants (V33C, Q21C, R18C, G1C, K9C and K4C) exhibit direct electrical contact with Au-electrodes upon covalent attachment to a maleimide monolayer associated with the electrode. With the G1C-Cyt c mutant, which includes the cysteine residue in the polypeptide chain at position 1, the potential-induced switchable control of the interfacial electron transfer was observed. This heme protein includes a positively charged protein periphery that surrounds the attachment site and faces the electrode surface. Biasing of the electrode at a negative potential (-0.3 V vs. SCE) attracts the reduced Fe(II)-Cyt c heme protein to the electrode surface. Upon the application of a double-potential-step chronoamperometric signal onto the electrode, where the electrode potential is switched to +0.3 V and back to -0.3 V, the kinetics of the transient cathodic current, corresponding to the re-reduction of the Fe(III)-Cyt c, is controlled by the time interval between the oxidative and reductive potential steps. While a short time interval results in a rapid interfacial electron-transfer, ket1 = 20 s-1, long time intervals lead to a slow interfacial electron transfer to the Fe(III)-Cyt c, ket2 = 1.5 s-1. The fast interfacial electron-transfer rate-constant is attributed to the reduction of the surface-attracted Fe(III)-Cyt c. The slow interfacial electron-transfer rate constant is attributed to the electrostatic repulsion of the positively charged Cyt c from the electrode surface, resulting in long-range electron transfer exhibiting a lower rate constant. At intermediate time intervals between the oxidative and reductive steps, two populations of Cyt c, consisting of surface-attracted and surface-repelled heme proteins, are observed. Crosslinking of a layered affinity complex between the Cyt c and cytochrome oxidase, COx, on an Au-electrode yields an electrically-contacted, integrated, electrode for the four-electron reduction of O2 to water. Kinetic analysis reveals that the rate-limiting step in the bioelectrocatalytic reduction of O2 by the integrated Cyt c/COx electrode is the primary electron transfer from the electrode support to the Cyt c units.     

Evaluation of electron-withdrawing group effects on heme binding in designed proteins: implications for heme a in cytochrome c oxidase

Heme a, the metalloporphyrin cofactor unique to cytochrome c oxidases, differs from the more common heme b by two chemical modifications, a C-2 hydroxyethylfarnesyl group and a C-8 formyl group. To elucidate a role of the C-8 formyl group, we compare the heme affinity, spectroscopy, and electrochemistry of a heme a mimic, Fe(diacetyldeuterioporphyrin IX) or Fe(DADPIX), with heme b, Fe(protoporphryrin IX) or Fe(PPIX), incorporated into a designed heme protein. The [Delta7-H3m]2 protein ligand, or maquette, selected for this study contains two equivalent bis-(3-methyl-L-histidine) heme binding sites within a four-alpha-helix bundle scaffold. The spectroscopic data on Fe(PPIX) and Fe(DADPIX) bound to [Delta7-H3m]2 demonstrate that these complexes are excellent synthetic analogues for natural cytochromes b and a, respectively. Comparison of the spectroscopic, electrochemical, and equilibrium thermodynamic data measured for the Fe(PPIX)-[Delta7-H3m]2 maquette with the previously reported Fe(PPIX)-[Delta7-His]2 complex demonstrates that changing the heme axial ligands to 3-methyl-L-histidine from L-histidine does not alter the resulting heme protein properties significantly in either oxidation state. Heme binding studies demonstrate that [Delta7-H3m]2 binds two ferrous Fe(DADPIX) or Fe(PPIX) moieties with similar dissociation constant values. However, in the ferric state, the data show that [Delta7-H3m]2 only binds a single Fe(DADPIX) and that one 2500-fold weaker than oxidized Fe(PPIX). The data demonstrate that the 4.6 kcal mol(-1) weakened affinity of [Delta7-H3m]2 for oxidized Fe(DADPIX) results in the majority of the 160 mV, 3.7 kcal mol(-1), positive shift in the heme reduction potential relative to Fe(PPIX). These data indicate that a role of the formyl group on heme a is to raise the iron reduction potential, thus making it a better electron acceptor, but that it does so by destabilizing the affinity of bis-imidazole sites for the ferric state.     

Hemoglobin Modified Carbon Paste Electrode: Direct Electrochemistry and Electrocatalysis

Abstract

A new hemoglobin (Hb) modified carbon paste (CP) electrode was fabricated by simply mixing the hemoglobin with carbon powder and paraffin homogeneously. To prevent the leakage of Hb from the electrode surface, a Nafion film was further applied on the surface of Hb-carbon composite paste electrode. Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin in the paste electrode was easily achieved, and a pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peak of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple appeared with the formal potential (E^0′) as ?0.335 V (vs. Saturated calomel electrode; CE) in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The fabricated Hb modified electrode showed good electrocatalytic ability to the reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and H₂O₂.     

Functional analogues of the dioxygen reduction site in cytochrome oxidase: mechanistic aspects and possible effects of Cu(B)

Catalytic reduction of O(2) and H(2)O(2) by new synthetic analogues of the heme/Cu site in cytochrome c and ubiquinol oxidases has been studied in aqueous buffers. Among the synthetic porphyrins yet reported, those employed in this study most faithfully mimic the immediate coordination environment of the Fe/Cu core. Under physiologically relevant conditions, these biomimetic catalysts reproduce key aspects of the O(2) and H(2)O(2) chemistry of the enzyme. When deposited on an electrode surface, they catalyze the selective reduction of O(2) to H(2)O at potentials comparable to the midpoint potential of cytochrome c. The pH dependence of the half-wave potentials and other data are consistent with O-O bond activation at these centers proceeding via a slow generation of a formally ferric-hydroperoxo intermediate, followed by its rapid reduction to the level of water. This kinetics is analogous to that proposed for the O-O reduction step at the heme/Cu site. It minimizes the steady-state concentration of the catalytic intermediate whose decomposition would release free H(2)O(2). The maximum catalytic rate constants of O(2) reduction by the ferrous catalyst and of H(2)O(2) reduction by both ferric and ferrous catalysts are comparable to those reported for cytochrome oxidase. The oxidized catalyst also displays catalase activity. Comparison of the catalytic properties of the biomimetic complexes in the FeCu and Cu-free forms indicates that, in the regime of rapid electron flux, Cu does not significantly affect the turnover frequency or the stability of the catalysts, but it suppresses superoxide-releasing autoxidation of an O(2)-catalyst adduct. The distal Cu also accelerates O(2) binding and minimizes O-O bond homolysis in the reduction of H(2)O(2).     

Direct Electrochemistry of Catalase at a Gold Electrode Modified with Single‐Wall Carbon Nanotubes

The direct electrochemistry of catalase (Ct) was accomplished at a gold electrode modified with single‐wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). A pair of well‐defined redox peaks was obtained for Ct with the reduction peak potential at ?0.414 V and a peak potential separation of 32 mV at pH 5.9. Both reflectance FT‐IR spectra and the dependence of the reduction peak current on the scan rate revealed that Ct adsorbed onto the SWNT surfaces. The redox wave corresponds to the Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox center of the heme group of the Ct adsorbate. Compared to other types of carbonaceous electrode materials (e.g., graphite and carbon soot), the electron transfer rate of Ct redox reaction was greatly enhanced at the SWNT‐modified electrode. The peak current was found to increase linearly with the Ct concentration in the range of 8×10^?6–8×10^?5 M used for the electrode preparation and the peak potential was shown to be pH dependent. The catalytic activity of Ct adsorbates at the SWNTs appears to be retained, as the addition of H₂O₂ produced a characteristic catalytic redox wave. This work demonstrates that direct electrochemistry of redox‐active biomacromolecules such as metalloenzymes can be improved through the use of carbon nanotubes.     

海藻酸钠水凝胶固载细胞色素c的蛋白膜伏安法研究

用海藻酸钠(SA)水凝胶将细胞色素c(cyt-c)固定在棱面热解石墨电极(EPPGE)表面,形成稳定的SA-cyt-c/EPPGE电极,采用蛋白膜伏安法(PFV)研究了cyt-c与电极之间的直接电化学和离子强度、pH、外加金属离子对其电化学行为的影响及其电催化性能。结果表明:cyt-c中血红素辅基Fe(Ⅲ)/Fe(Ⅱ)电对表现出准可逆行为,pH7.0、NaCl浓度为0.1 mol/L时电化学活性最高,外加金属离子则有抑制作用,SA-cyt-c/EPPGE可催化还原O2,有可能发展成为一种溶解氧的生物传感器。     

Direct Electrochemistry of Hemoglobin in Chitosan/Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes/Ionic Liquid–Modified Carbon-Paste Electrode

Abstract

The direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin (Hb) was realized on chitosan and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)–modified carbon ionic liquid electrode (CILE). The CILE was fabricated first and further modified by MWCNTs to get an electrode as MWCNTs/CILE. The Hb was immobilized on the surface of MWCNTs/CILE with the help of chitosan film. Ultraviolet–visible (UV-vis) and Fourier transform–infrared (FT-IR) spectra indicated that Hb kept its native structure in the modified film. A pair of well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple appeared with the formal potential (E^0′) as ?0.314 V (vs. SCE) in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The modified electrode showed good electrocatalytic ability for the reduction of trichloroacetic acid.     

Myoglobin/sol-gel film modified electrode: direct electrochemistry and electrochemical catalysis

Direct electrochemical and electrocatalytic behavior of myoglobin (Mb) immobilized on carbon paste electrode (CPE) by a silica sol-gel film derived from tetraethyl orthosilicate was investigated for the first time. Mb/sol-gel film modified electrodes show a pair of well-defined and nearly reversible cyclic voltammetric peaks for the Mb Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple at about -0.298 V (vs Ag/AgCl) in a pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution. The formal potential of the Mb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple shifted linearly with pH with a slope of 52.4 mV/pH, denoting that an electron transfer accompanies single-proton transportation. An FTIR and UV-vis spectroscopy study confirms that the secondary structure of Mb immobilized on an electrode by a sol-gel film still maintains the original arrangement. The immobilized Mb displays the features of a peroxidase and acts in an electrocatalytic manner in the reduction of oxygen, trichloroacetic acid (TCA), and nitrite. In comparison to other electrodes, the chemically modified electrodes used in this study for direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of Mb are easy to fabricate and fairly inexpensive. Consequently, the Mb/sol-gel film modified electrode provides a convenient way to perform electrochemical research on this kind of protein. It also has potential use in the fabrication of bioreactors and third-generation biosensors.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Hemoglobin and its Electrocatalysis Based on a Carbon Nanotube Paste Electrode

A new hemoglobin (Hb) and carbon nanotube (CNT) modified carbon paste electrode was fabricated by simply mixing the Hb, CNT with carbon powder and liquid paraffin homogeneously. To prevent the leakage of Hb from the electrode surface, a Nafion film was further applied on the surface of the Hb‐CNT composite paste electrode. The modified electrode was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Direct electrochemistry of hemoglobin in this paste electrode was easily achieved and a pair of well‐defined quasi‐reversible redox peaks of a heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) couple appeared with a formal potential (E^0′) of ?0.441 V (vs. SCE) in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS). The electrochemical behaviors of Hb in the composite electrode were carefully studied. The fabricated modified bioelectrode showed good electrocatalytic ability for reduction of H₂O₂ and trichloroacetic acid (TCA), which shows potential applications in third generation biosensors.     

A hydrogen peroxide biosensor based on Langmuir-Blodgett technique: Direct electron transfer of hemoglobin in octadecylamine layer

The present paper describes the modification of hemoglobin (Hb)-octadecylamine (ODA) Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) film on a gold electrode surface to develop a novel electrochemical biosensor for the detection of hydrogen peroxide. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) image of Hb-ODA LB film indicated Hb molecules existed in ODA layer in a well-ordered and compact form. The immobilized Hb displayed a couple of stable and well-defined redox peaks with an electron transfer rate constant of 4.58 ± 0.95 s⁻¹ and a formal potential of −185 mV (versus Ag/AgCl) in phosphate buffer (1.0 mM, pH 5.0) contain 0.1 M KCl at a scan rate of 200 mV s⁻¹, characteristic of Hb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. The formal potential of Hb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple in ODA film shifted linearly between pH 5 and 8 with a slope of −23.8 mV pH⁻¹, suggesting that proton took part in electrochemical reaction. The ODA could accelerate the electron transfer between Hb and the electrode. This modified electrode showed an electrochemical activity to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) without the aid of any electron mediator.     

血红蛋白在碳纳米管修饰碳糊电极上的直接电化学行为

利用吸附法将血红蛋白(Hb)固定在碳纳米管修饰碳糊电极表面,制成稳定的固载Hb碳纳米管修饰电极,研究了Hb在碳纳米管修饰电极上的直接电化学行为.固载Hb的碳纳米管修饰电极在pH=7.0的PBS（磷酸盐缓冲溶液）中有一对相当可逆的循环伏安氧化还原峰,为Hb血红素辅基Fe(Ⅲ)/Fe(Ⅱ)电对的特征峰.式电位为－0.160 V(vs SCE),随扫描速度变化很小.电子转移数为1.021,近似为一个辅基发生电子转移.Hb在碳纳米管修饰电极表面的电子转移常数为0.0816 s－1,远大于亚甲蓝作媒介体时Hb的电子转移反应速率常数.应用于过氧化氢、三氯乙酸和硝基苯等的电催化还原,固定在碳纳米管修饰碳糊电极的血红蛋白表现出稳定且较高的催化活性.     

酶的光谱电化学研究（Ⅰ）：辣根过氧化物酶的电化学性质

利用薄层光谱电化学技术研究了辣根过氧化物酶(HRP)及其化合物的氧化还原过程。指出HRP可在固体电极上进行直接电子传递,该电极反应不是酶中二硫键的还原,而是血红素辅基中心金属离子的氧化态转变。测定了HRP(Fe~(3+)/Fe~(2+))电对的标准氧化还原电位和电化学动力学参数,讨论了HRP氧化性中间物的电化学性质。     

Electrocatalysis of Hemoglobin in ZnO Nanoparticle/Ionic Liquid Composite Film Modified Glassy Carbon Electrode

A nanobiocompatible composite containing hemoglobin (Hb), ZnO nanoparticles (nano‐ZnO) and ionic liquid 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (BMIMPF₆) was fabricated and further modified on the glassy carbon electrode (GCE). The electrochemical behaviours of Hb in the composite film were carefully studied and a pair of quasi‐reversible redox peaks appeared in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution, which was attributed to the electrode reaction of Hb heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. The presences of nano‐ZnO and BMIMPF₆ in the film can retain the bioactivity of Hb and greatly enhance the direct electron transfer of Hb. The immobilized Hb showed high stability and good electrocatalytic ability to the reduction of hydrogen peroxide and O₂.     

Heme release in myoglobin-DDAB films and its role in electrochemical NO reduction

Electrochemical nitric oxide (NO) reduction by heme groups incorporated in films of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) on pyrolitic graphite was investigated. It is shown that DDAB most likely induces the release of the heme group from myoglobin and therefore myoglobin-DDAB and heme-DDAB films give the same voltammetric responses. This is confirmed by UV/vis spectroscopy showing a clear shift in the Soret band of myoglobin in a DDAB solution. The electrochemical NO reduction on a heme-DDAB film at different pH values reveals the presence of pH-dependent and pH-independent NO reduction pathways. The selectivity of these pathways is probed by combining the rotating ring-disk electrode technique with online electrochemical mass spectroscopy showing that the product of the pH-independent pathway is N2O and the product of the pH-dependent pathway is NH2OH. The preference for one or the other pathway seems to depend on whether a proton or a NO molecule is transferred to a Fe(II)-NO- reaction intermediate and is influenced by pH, NO concentration, and potential.     

Amperometric method for the determination of myoglobin based on the electrochemical reduction on the glassy carbon electrode

An irreversible reduction peak of oxymyoglobin (MbO₂) was observed on the bare glassy carbon electrode (GCE) in acetate buffer solution under atmospheric conditions. It is the reduction of bonded oxygen in Mb, but not the heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple that underwent electrochemical reaction on the electrode. The peak current achieved a maximum value in acetate buffer solution of pH 4.0. The peak potential was pH dependent, suggesting that the proton was involved in the electrochemical reaction. Furthermore, the peak current was linearly related to the concentration of myoglobin in the range of 2.5 × 10^–8～ 1.0 × 10^–6 mol · L^–1 with a detection limit of 5 × 10^–9 mol · L^–1.     

Ionic Liquid‐Hemoglobin‐Carbon Paste Composite Bioelectrode and Its Electrocatalytic Activity

A new carbon ionic liquid paste bioelectrode was fabricated by mixing hemoglobin (Hb) with graphite powder, ionic liquid 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIMBF₄) and liquid paraffin homogeneously. Nafion film was cast on the electrode surface to improve the stability of bioelectrode. Direct electrochemistry of Hb in the bioelectrode was carefully investigated. Cyclic voltammetric results indicated that a pair of well‐defined and quasi‐reversible electrochemical responses appeared in pH 7.0 phosphate buffer solution (PBS), indicating that direct electron transfer of Hb was realized in the modified electrode. The formal potential (E^0′) was calculated as ?0.316 V (vs. SCE), which was the typical characteristic of the electrochemical reaction of heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couple. Based on the cyclic voltammetric results the electrochemical parameters of the electrode reaction were calculated. This bioelectrode showed high electrocatalytic activity towards the reduction of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) with good stability and reproducibility.     

Heme protein-gluten films: voltammetric studies and their electrocatalytic properties

Direct electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of heme proteins, such as hemoglobin (Hb), myoglobin (Mb), and horseradish peroxidase (HRP), incorporated in gluten biopolymer films cast on pyrolytic graphite (PG) electrodes, were studied by voltammetry and amperometry. All the three protein-gluten films exhibited a pair of well-defined, quasi-reversible cyclic voltammetric peaks at about −0.28 V versus saturated calomel electrode (SCE) in pH 5.5 buffers, respectively, characteristic of the heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) redox couples, indicating enhanced electron transfer between the proteins and PG electrodes in a gluten film environment. The protein-gluten hydrogel films showed excellent stability. Positions of Soret absorption band of protein-gluten films suggested that the heme proteins kept their secondary structure similar to their native state in the films in the medium pH range. The heme proteins in gluten films were act as a biologic catalyst to catalyze reduction of oxygen or hydrogen peroxide. The voltammetric or amperometric responses of H₂O₂ at the protein-gluten film electrodes could be used to determine the concentration of H₂O₂ in solution.     

The redox chemistry of the covalently immobilized native and low-pH forms of yeast iso-1-cytochrome c

Cyclic voltammetry experiments were carried out on native Saccharomyces cerevisiae iso-1-cytochrome c and its C102T/N62C variant immobilized on bare polycrystalline gold electrode through the S-Au bond formed by a surface cysteine. Experiments were carried out at different temperatures (5-65 degrees C) and pH values (1.5-7). The E degrees ' value at pH 7 (+370 mV vs SHE) is approximately 100 mV higher than that for the protein in solution. This difference is enthalpic in origin and is proposed to be the result of the electrostatic repulsion among the densely packed molecules onto the electrode surface. Two additional electrochemical waves are observed upon lowering the pH below 5 (E degrees ' = +182 mV) and 3 (E degrees ' = +71 mV), which are attributed to two conformers (referred to as "intermediate" and "acidic", respectively) featuring an altered heme axial ligation. This is the first determination of the reduction potential for low-pH conformers of cytochrome c in the absence of denaturants. Since the native form of cytochrome c can be restored, bringing back the pH to neutrality, the possibility offered by this transition to reversibly modulate the redox potential of cytochrome c is appealing for bioelectronic applications. The immobilized C102T/N62C variant, which differs from the native protein in the orientation of the heme group with respect to the electrode, shows very similar reduction thermodynamics. For both species, the rate constant for electron transfer between the heme and the electrode increases for the acidic conformer, which is also found to act as a biocatalytic interface for dioxygen reduction.     

Unequivocal determination of metal atom oxidation state in naked heme proteins: Fe(III)myoglobin, Fe(III)cytochrome c, Fe(III)cytochrome b5, and Fe(III)cytochrome b5 L47R

Unambiguous determination of metal atom oxidation state in an intact metalloprotein is achieved by matching experimental (electrospray ionization 9.4 tesla Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance) and theoretical isotopic abundance mass distributions for one or more holoprotein charge states. The ion atom oxidation state is determined unequivocally as Fe(III) for each of four gas-phase unhydrated heme proteins electrosprayed from H2O: myoglobin, cytochrome c, cytochrome b5, and cytochrome b5 L47R (i.e., the solution-phase oxidation state is conserved following electrospray to produce gas-phase ions). However, the same Fe(III) oxidation state in all four heme proteins is observed after prior reduction by sodium dithionite to produce Fe(II) heme proteins in solution: thus proving that oxygen was present during the electrospray process. Those results bear directly on the issue of similarity (or lack thereof) of solution-phase and gas-phase protein conformations. Finally, infrared multiphoton irradiation of the gas-phase Fe(III)holoproteins releases Fe(III)heme from each of the noncovalently bound Fe(III)heme proteins (myoglobin, cytochrome b5 and cytochrome b5 L47R), but yields Fe(II)heme from the covalently bound heme in cytochrome c.