Amperometric Biosensor Based on Enzymatic Reactor for Choline Determination in Flow Systems

A simple, selective and stable biosensor with the enzymatic reactor based on choline oxidase (ChOx) was developed and applied for the determination of choline (Ch) in flow injection analysis with amperometric detection. The enzyme ChOx was covalently immobilized with glutaraldehyde to mesoporous silica powder (SBA‐15) previously covered by NH₂‐groups. This powder was found as an optimal filling of the reactor. The detection of Ch is based on amperometric monitoring of consumed oxygen during the enzymatic reaction, which is directly proportional to Ch concentration. Two arrangements of an electrolytic cell in FIA, namely wall‐jet cell with working silver solid amalgam electrode covered by mercury film and flow‐through cell with tubular detector of polished silver solid amalgam were compared. The experimental parameters affecting the sensitivity and stability of the biosensor (i. e. pH of the carrier solution, volume of reactor, amount of the immobilized enzyme, the detection potential, flow rate, etc.) were optimized. Under the optimized conditions, the limit of detection was found to be 9.0×10^?6 mol L^?1. The Michaelis‐Menten constant for covalently immobilized ChOx on SBA‐15 was calculated. The proposed amperometric biosensor with the developed ChOx‐based reactor exhibits good repeatability, reproducibility, long‐term stability, and reusability. Its efficiency has been confirmed by the successful application for the determination of Ch in two commercial pharmaceuticals.     

Highly Sensitive Choline Oxidase Enzyme Inhibition Biosensor for Lead Ions Based on Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube Modified Glassy Carbon Electrodes

The determination of lead ions by inhibition of choline oxidase enzyme has been evaluated for the first time using an amperometric choline biosensor. Choline oxidase (ChOx) was immobilized on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) through cross‐linking with glutaraldehyde. In the presence of ChOx, choline was enzymatically oxidized into betaine at –0.3 V versus Ag/AgCl reference electrode, lead ion inhibition of enzyme activity causing a decrease in the choline oxidation current. The experimental conditions were optimised regarding applied potential, buffer pH, enzyme and substrate concentration and incubation time. Under the best conditions for measurement of the lowest concentrations of lead ions, the ChOx/MWCNT/GCE gave a linear response from 0.1 to 1.0 nM Pb²⁺ and a detection limit of 0.04 nM. The inhibition of ChOx by lead ions was also studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, but had a narrower linear response range and low sensitivity. The inhibition biosensor exhibited high selectivity towards lead ions and was successfully applied to their determination in tap water samples.     

乙酰胆碱和胆碱化学发光生物传感器的研究

将具有分子识别功能的乙酰胆碱酯酶和胆碱氧化酶及进行换能反应的luminol和Cu^2^+分别固定在多孔玻璃和离子交换剂的柱中,组成流动注射式胆碱和乙酰胆碱化学发光传感器,让传感器分子识别反应和换能反应在各自最佳pH值下进行。这一新型生物传感器优化了发光量子产率,避免了在传感元件上直接发光所产生的散射干扰。测定乙酰胆碱和胆碱的线性范围达到1～1000pmol,检测限为500fmol,每次测定时间为2min,寿命为6个月,已用于鼠脑及人血清中乙酰胆碱和胆碱的测定。     

Microbiosensor for acetylcholine and choline based on electropolymerization/sol–gel derived composite membrane

Amperometric enzyme biosensors for the determination of acetylcholine (ACh) and choline (Ch) have been described. For the fabrication of the biosensors, N-acetylaniline (nAN) was first electropolymerized on a Pt electrode surface to be served as a permselective layer to reject interferences. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) and choline oxidase (CHOD) were co-immobilized in a zinc oxide (ZnO) sol–gel membrane on the above modified Pt electrode for a Ch sensor, or CHOD, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and BSA immobilized together for an ACh/Ch sensor. The poly (N-acetylaniline) (pnAN) film was the first time used for an ACh/Ch sensor and found to have excellent anti-interference ability, and the BSA in the sol–gel can improve the stability and activity of the enzymes. Amperometric detection of ACh and Ch were realized at an applied potential of +0.6 V versus SCE. The resulting sensors were characterized by fast response, expanded linear range and low interference from endogenous electroactive species. Temperature and pH dependence and stability of the sensor were investigated. The optimal ACh/Ch sensor gave a linear response range of 1.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 1.5 × 10⁻³ M to ACh with a detection limit (S/N = 3) of 6.0 × 10⁻⁷ M and a linear response range up to 1.6 × 10⁻³ M to Ch with a detection limit of 5.0 × 10⁻⁷ M. The biosensor demonstrated a 95% response within less than 10 s.     

高效液相色谱-柱后固定化酶反应器-电化学检测法分析大鼠脑微透析液中的乙酰胆碱和胆碱

 建立了用高效液相色谱分离－柱后固定化酶反应器酶解－电化学检测器检测酶解最终产物Ｈ２Ｏ２的方法，分析了麻醉和自由活动大鼠脑微透析液中乙酰胆碱（ＡＣｈ）和胆碱（Ｃｈ）的含量。至少在０．２～１００μｍｏｌ／Ｌ范围内ＡＣｈ和Ｃｈ的浓度与其响应的线性关系良好，它们的检测极限都可达５０ｆｍｏｌ。对高效液相色谱结合固定化酶反应器的分析方法作了简要的讨论。     

Amperometric determination of choline with enzyme immobilized in a hybrid mesoporous membrane

Choline sensor is successfully prepared by using immobilized enzyme, i.e., choline oxidase (ChOx) within a hybrid mesoporous membrane with 12 nm pore diameter (F127M). The measurement was based on the detection of hydrogen peroxide, which is the co-product of the enzymatic choline oxidation. The determination range and the response time are 5.0-800 μM and approximately 2 min, respectively. The sensor is very stable compared to the native enzyme sensor and 85% of the initial response was maintained even after storage for 80 days. These results indicate that ChOx is successfully immobilized and well stabilized, and at the same time, enzyme reaction proceeds efficiently. Such ability of hybrid mesoporous membrane F127M suggests great promise for effective immobilization of enzyme useful for electrochemical biosensors.     

Determination of choline and acetylcholine levels in rat brain regions by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Regional choline (Ch) and acetylcholine (ACh) in rat brain were clearly determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. The method is based on that of Potter et al.: the hydrogen peroxide that is enzymatically produced from both compounds is measured and a successful improvement of the method, particularly for purification, is described. Recoveries were 96.1 +/- 1.4% for Ch and 95.6 +/- 2.2% for ACh and amounts as low as 10 pmol could be determined. Prior to measuring the compounds, a newly developed magnetic field microwave instrument (10 kW) was utilized for the rapid inactivation of brain enzymes. The levels of Ch and ACh in brain regions were compared with those reported elsewhere.     

Simultaneous determination of D-glucose and 3-hydroxybutyrate by chemiluminescence detection with immobilized enzymes in a flow injection system.

A chemiluminometric flow-through sensor for the simultaneous determination of glucose (Glu) and 3-hydroxybutyrate (HB) in a single sample has been developed. Coimmobilized 3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase/NADH oxidase/peroxidase, a support material, and coimmobilized glucose dehydrogenase/NADH oxidase/peroxidase were packed sequentially in a transparent PTFE tube. The tube was then placed in front of a photomultiplier tube as a flow cell. A two-peak recording was obtained by one injection of the sample solution. The peak heights of the first and second peaks were dependent on the concentrations of HB and Glu, respectively. The calibration graphs for HB and Glu were linear at 0.05-10 and 0.1-30 microM, respectively. The maximum sample throughput was 30 h(-1). The sensor was stable for two weeks.     

Effect of hydrophilicity of room temperature ionic liquids on the electrochemical and electrocatalytic behaviour of choline oxidase

In the present report, six different nano-composites contaning the same amine functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (NH(2)-MWCNTs) but different room temperature ionic liquids (RTILs) were prepared. Then, the efficiency of these nano-composites as supporting materials for studying the electrochemistry and electrocatalysis of choline oxidase (ChOx) as a model enzyme were compared. The corresponding cyclic voltammetric and amperometric data showed that the electrocatalytic activity and the electroanalytical performance of immobilized ChOx depends on the degree of hydrophilicity of RTILs used in the applied nano-composite. The higher stability (180 days), higher enzyme loading (6.56 mol cm(-2)), lower detection limit (3.85 μM) and wider linear range (0.005-0.8 mM) was obtained for the most hydrophilic RTIL (1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide).     

Intermolecular forces between acetylcholine and acetylcholinesterases studied with atomic force microscopy

With the aid of atomic force microscopy, the intermolecular forces between acetyleholinesterases (AChE) and its natural substrate acetylcholine (ACh) have been studied. Through force spectrum measurement based on imaging of AChE molecules it was found that the attraction force between individual molecule pairs of ACh and AChE was (10±1) pN just before the quaternary ammonium head of ACh got into contact with the negative end of AChE and the decaying distance of attraction was (4±1) nm from the surface of ACHE. The adhesion force between individual ACh and AChE molecule pairs was (25±2) pN, which had a decaying feature of fast-slow-fast (FSF). The attraction forces between AChE and choline (Ch), the quaternary ammonium moiety and hydrolysate of ACh molecule, were similar to those between AChE and ACh. The adhesion forces between AChE and Ch were (20±2) pN, a little weaker than that between ACh and ACHE. These results indicated that AChE had a steering role for the diffusion of ACh toward it and had r     

胆碱氧化酶功能化室温磷光量子点的制备及其对氯化胆碱的定量检测

环境友好型纳米生物传感器能够提高传统生物分子传感器的检测性能，在实际应用中具有重要的应用价值。本研究以胆碱氧化酶（ChOx）为模板，在室温（25 ℃）下通过矿化作用制备了一种ChOx功能化的室温磷光（RTP）量子点（QDs）（ChOx RTP QDs）纳米生物传感器，并利用ChOx与氯化胆碱的特异性酶-底物反应和光诱导的电子转移（PIET）实现了对氯化胆碱（Cho）的RTP定量检测。该纳米生物传感器对氯化胆碱检测的线性范围为0.05~20 mmol/L，检出限为0.02 mmol/L。该方法基于QDs的RTP性质，可以有效地避免生物样品背景荧光的干扰，且无需复杂的样品前处理过程，因此该方法较适合于生物样品中氯化胆碱的定量检测。     

High Throughput Enzyme Inhibitor Screening by Functionalized Magnetic Carbonaceous Microspheres and Graphene Oxide-Based MALDI-TOF-MS

In this work, a high throughput methodology for screening enzyme inhibitors has been demonstrated by combining enzyme immobilized magnetic carbonaceous microspheres and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) with grapheme oxide as matrix. First, model enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was immobilized onto the 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxysilane (GLYMO)-modified magnetic carbonaceous (MC) microspheres, displaying a high enzyme activity and stability, and also facilitating the separation of enzyme from substrate and product. The efficiency of immobilized AChE was monitored by biochemical assay, which was carried out by mixing enzyme-immobilized MC microspheres with model substrate acetylcholine (ACh), and subsequent quantitative determination of substrate ACh and product choline using graphene oxide-based MALDI-TOF-MS with no background inference. The limit of detection (LOD) for ACh was 0.25 fmol/μL, and excellent linearity (R² = 0.9998) was maintained over the range of 0.5 and 250 fmol/μL. Choline was quantified over the range of 0.05 and 15 pmol/μL, also with excellent linearity (R² = 0.9994) and low LOD (0.15 fmol/μL). Good accuracy and precision were obtained for all concentrations within the range of the standard curves. All together, eight compounds (four known AChE inhibitors and four control chemical compounds with no AChE inhibit effect) were tested with our promoted methodology, and the obtained results demonstrated that our high throughput screening methodology could be a great help to the routine enzyme inhibitor screening.     

Direct Electrochemistry of Cholesterol Oxidase Immobilized on a Conducting Polymer: Application for a Cholesterol Biosensor

Direct electrochemistry of cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) immobilized on the conductive poly‐3′,4′‐diamine‐2,2′,5′,2″‐terthiophene (PDATT) was achieved and used to create a cholesterol biosensor. A well‐defined redox peak was observed, corresponding to the direct electron transfer of the FAD/FADH₂ of ChOx, and the rate constant (k_s) was determined to be 0.75 s^?1. Glutathione (GSH) covalently bonded with PDATT was used as a matrix for conjugating AuNPs, ChOx, and MP, simultaneously. MP co‐immobilized with ChOx on the AuNPs‐GSH/PDATT exhibited an excellent amperometric response to cholesterol. The dynamic range was from 10 to 130 μM with a detection limit of 0.3±0.04 μM.     

Flow-through chemiluminescence sensor using immobilized oxidases for the selective determination of L-glutamate in a flow-injection system.

A selective and sensitive chemiluminometric flow sensor for the determination of L-glutamate in serum, based on immobilized oxidases such as glutamate oxidase (GOD), uricase (UC) and peroxidase (POD), is described herein. The principle for the selective chemiluminometric detection for L-glutamate is based on coupled reactions of four sequentially aligned immobilized oxidases, UC/POD/GOD/POD in a flow cell. The immobilized UC was employed to decompose urate, which is one of the major interfering components in serum for a luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction. The H2O2 produced from the UC reaction readily reacted with reducing components, such as ascorbate and glutathione, and then the excess H2O2 was decomposed by the immobilized POD. L-Glutamate in the sample plug was enzymatically converted to H2O2 with immobilized GOD. Subsequently, the peroxide reacts with luminol on the immobilized POD to produce chemiluminescence, proportional to glutamate concentration. The enzymes were immobilized on tresylated poly(vinyl alcohol beads). The immobilized enzymes were packed into TPFE tube (1.0 mm i.d. x 60 cm), in turn, and used as a flow cell. The sampling rate was 30 h-1. The calibration graph for L-glutamate is linear for 20 nM-5 microM; the detection limit (signal-to-noise = 3) is 10 nM.     

Silk Mat as Bio-matrix for the Immobilization of Cholesterol Oxidase

Cholesterol oxidase (ChOx) was covalently immobilized onto the woven silk fiber (silk mat) produced by Antheraea assamensis. The immobilization was done using N-ethyl-N’-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodimide and N-hydroxysuccinimide ligand chemistry. The attachment of ChOx to the silk mat was demonstrated by scanning electron microscopy and activity study. The kinetic studies of the immobilized ChOx were performed by using a biological oxygen monitor. The enzyme loading was found to be 0.046 U cm^?2 of silk mat and the enzyme loading efficiency of the silk mat was estimated to be 70%. Remarkably high storage and operational stability (t_1/2 of initial activities) corresponding to 13 months and 25 numbers of assay (for a period of 6 h), respectively, of the fabricated ChOx electrode were demonstrated.     

In vivo microdialysis and reverse phase ion pair liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry for the determination and identification of acetylcholine and related compounds in rat brain

A method using liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) has been developed for the determination of basal acetylcholine (ACh) in microdialysate from the striatum of freely moving rats. A microdialysis probe was surgically implanted into the striatum of the rats and Ringer's solution was used as the perfusion medium at a flow rate of 2 microL per minute. The samples were then analyzed off-line by LC/MS/MS experiments. The separation of ACh and choline (Ch) was carried out using reverse phase ion pair liquid chromatography with heptafluorobutyric acid as a volatile ion pairing reagent. Analytes were detected by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in the positive ion mode. The detection limit for ACh was 1.4 fmol on column, which is at least three times lower than previously reported. Three quaternary ammonium compounds in the rat brain microdialysate were also identified by tandem mass spectrometry experiments in which the unknown mass spectra were compared with standard reference compounds. These compounds were identified as carnitine, acetylcarnitine and (3-carboxypropyl)trimethylammonium. This is the first known report of the compound (3-carboxypropyl)trimethylammonium being found in rat brain.     

Multiwall Carbon Nanotube (MWCNT) Based Electrochemical Biosensors for Mediatorless Detection of Putrescine

γ‐Aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES)‐induced solubilization of multi‐wall carbon nanotube CNTs allowed for the modification of electrode surfaces. APTES also served as an immobilization matrix for putrescine oxidase (POx) to construct an amperometric biosensor. Although CNTs modified by APTES acted as semiconductors to reduce the exposed sensing surface, we reasoned that nanoscale “dendrites” of CNTS modified by APTES formed a network and projected outwards from the electrode surface and acted like bundled ultra‐microelectrodes that allowed access to the active site and facilitated direct electron transfer to the immobilized enzyme. Our biosensor was able to efficiently monitor direct electroactivity of POx at the electrode surface. The putrescine biosensor prepared using the modified glassy carbon electrode exhibited current response within 10 s with a detection limit of 500 nM.     

In situ electrodeposition of Pt nanoclusters on glassy carbon surface modified by monolayer choline film and their electrochemical applications

Pt nanoclusters attached to the monolayer choline (Ch) modified glassy carbon surface were successfully synthesized by use of in situ cyclic voltammetry (CV) method. Field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to characterize the properties of this modified electrode. It was demonstrated that Ch was immobilized onto the carbon surface forming a covalently planted Ch monolayer, which could induce the formation of Pt nanoclusters. The preliminary study found that the homogeneous nanostructured Pt/Ch film exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of methanol and nitrite.     

Optical choline sensor based on a water-soluble fluorescent conjugated polymer and an enzyme-coupled assay

We report on a simple and sensitive water-soluble fluorescent conjugated polymer for use in a choline biosensor. Choline is oxidized by the enzyme choline oxidase (ChOx), and the hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) formed is used to oxidize catechol via catalysis by horseradish peroxidase. The product of oxidation acts as a quencher of the photoluminescence of a fluorescent conjugated polymer. The ratio of the fluorescence intensity of the system in the presence and absence of the choline, respectively, serves as the analytical information. It is proportional to the concentration of choline in the 0.1 μM to 20 μM concentration range. The detection limit for choline is 50 nM. The biosensor was successfully applied to the determination of choline in milk samples with satisfactory reproducibility and accuracy. This is the first biosensor where a ChOx/HRP enzyme-coupled assay is used in combination with a water-soluble conjugated polymer for the fluorescent detection of choline. In our opinion, it provides a common platform for further development of enzymatic biosensors based on fluorescent conjugated polymers.