Nickel electrodes as a cheap and versatile platform for studying structure and function of immobilized redox proteins

Practical use of many bioelectronic and bioanalytical devices is limited by the need of expensive materials and time consuming fabrication. Here we demonstrate the use of nickel electrodes as a simple and cheap solid support material for bioelectronic applications. The naturally nanostructured electrodes showed a surprisingly high electromagnetic surface enhancement upon light illumination such that immobilization and electron transfer reactions of the model redox proteins cytochrome b₅ (Cyt b₅) and cytochrome c (Cyt c) could be followed via surface enhanced resonance Raman spectroscopy. It could be shown that the nickel surface, when used as received, promotes a very efficient binding of the proteins upon preservation of their native structure. The immobilized redox proteins could efficiently exchange electrons with the electrode and could even act as an electron relay between the electrode and solubilized myoglobin. Our results open up new possibility for nickel electrodes as an exceptional good support for bioelectronic devices and biosensors on the one hand and for surface enhanced spectroscopic investigations on the other hand.     

The indirect coulometric titration of cytochrome c oxidase with cytochrome c

The indirect coulometric titration of cytochrome c oxidase and dioxygen using cytochrome c as a mediator is described. Results of both the indirect coulometric titrations and the cyclic voltammetric experiments reported herein verify that the reaction mechanism involves the catalytic regeneration of the electroactive species, the cytochrome c mediator, with the selective reduction of cytochrome c oxidase alone. During the indirect coulometric titrations dioxygen is reduced to water only by cytochrome c oxidase and not by either direct reduction at the electrode surface or reaction with cytochrome c. This system utilizes the electron transfer selectivity of cytochrome c for cytochrome c oxidase over dioxygen and offers a means by which the reaction of cytochrome c oxidase and dioxygen can be examined.     

Biosensors based on direct electron transfer in redox proteins

In biosensors based on direct electron transfer in redox proteins, efficient electron-transfer pathways between the immobilized redox protein and the electrode surface have to be established so to allow a fast electron transfer and concomitantly avoiding free-diffusing redox species. In this review, prerequisites for the direct electron transfer of redox proteins and immobilization of redox proteins on the electrode surfaces are addressed. Based on the specific nature of different proteins and non-manual immobilization procedures, possible biosensor designs are discussed, namely biosensors based on (1) ferritin; (2) cytochrome c; (3) myoglobin; (4) hemoglobin; (5) horseradish peroxidase; (6) catalase; (7) glucose oxidase; and (8) xanthine oxidase.     

Reconstitution of supramolecular organization involved in energy metabolism at electrochemical interfaces for biosensing and bioenergy production

How the redox proteins and enzymes involved in bioenergetic pathways are organized is a relevant fundamental question, but our understanding of this is still incomplete. This review provides a critical examination of the electrochemical tools developed in recent years to obtain knowledge of the intramolecular and intermolecular electron transfer processes involved in metabolic pathways. Furthermore, better understanding of the electron transfer processes associated with energy metabolism will provide the basis for the rational design of biotechnological devices such as electrochemical biosensors, enzymatic and microbial fuel cells, and hydrogen production factories. Starting from the redox complexes involved in two relevant bacterial chains, i.e., from the hyperthermophile Aquifex aeolicus and the acidophile Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans, examination of protein–protein interactions using electrochemistry is first reviewed, with a focus on the orientation of a protein on an electrochemical interface mimic of a physiological interaction between two partners. Special attention is paid to current research in the electrochemistry of essential membrane proteins, which is one mandatory step toward the understanding of energy metabolic pathways. The complex and challenging architectures built to reconstitute a membrane-like environment at an electrode are especially considered. The role played by electrochemistry in the attempt to consider full bacterial metabolism is finally emphasized through the study of whole cells immobilized at electrodes as suspensions or biofilms. Before the performances of biotechnological devices can be further improved to make them really attractive, questions remain to be addressed in this particular field of research. We discuss the bottlenecks that need to be overcome in the future.     

The trapping of excitons by impurities and its dependence on the impurity concentration

When excitons migrate through molecular crystals containing impurities the relative probabilities of their decay at a site of the host lattice or at an impurity can often be deduced experimentally from the material's luminescence spectrum. Theoretically, the mean probability $\text{K}$ that an exciton will be captured by an impurity can be calculated by solving a diffusion equation with a term that takes account of the exciton-impurity interaction. The results of such calculations are reported, with particular emphasis on the dependence of $\text{K}$ on the impurity concentration c for small values of c. It is found that if the impurities behave as absorbing spheres $\text{K}$ is proportional to c, but if the interaction potential is of the multipole-multipole form then d(log$\text{K}$)/d(logc) depends on the exciton's mean free path and on c, and can be much less than unity. The physical reasons for these results are discussed.     

Electrochemistry and biosensing activity of cytochrome c immobilized in macroporous materials

An amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) has been constructed by immobilizing cytochrome c on an indium/tin oxide (ITO) electrode modified with a macroporous material. Cyclic voltammetry showed that the direct and quasi-reversible electron transfer of cytochrome c proceeds without the need for an electron mediator. A surface-controlled electron transfer process can be observed with an apparent heterogeneous electron-transfer rate constant (k_s) of 29.2?s^?1. The biosensor displays excellent electrocatalytic responses to the reduction of H₂O₂ to give amperometric responses that increase steadily with the concentration of H₂O₂ in the range from 5???M to 2?mM. The detection limit is 0.61???M at pH?7.4. The apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (K_m) of the biosensor is 1.06?mM. This investigation not only provided a method for the direct electron transfer of cytochrome c on macroporous materials, but also established a feasible approach for durable and reliable detection of H₂O₂.

Reduction of cytochrome c at a lipid bilayer modified electrode

The reduction of horse heart cytochrome c has been investigated at a platinum electrode modified with a lipid bilayer membrane (BLM) which immobilized vinyl ferrocene as an electron mediator. The current-voltage curves show that the direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c at the metal electrode occurs quite efficiently. An adsorption equilibrium constant for cytochrome at the BLM surface, as well as an electron transfer rate constant between the protein and the modified electrode have been estimated from these results. The values of both parameters are much higher than those reported with other types of electrode modifications, indicating that a lipid bilayer-modified platinum electrode system using vinyl ferrocene as a mediator provides substantial improvements in electrochemical activity of cytochrome c at metal electrodes. The potential for modifying and utilizing this new class of “biomembrane-like” electrode surface for metalloprotein electrochemistry is briefly discussed.     

A Chimeric Two-Component Regulatory System-Based <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> Biosensor Engineered to Detect Glutamate

In this study, we constructed amino acid biosensors that can be used as a high-throughput system to screen microorganisms that produce glutamate. The biosensors are based on two-component regulatory systems (TCRSs) combined with green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a reporter. A chimeric DegS/EnvZ (DegSZ) TCRS was constructed by fusing the N-terminal domain of the sensor kinase DegS from Planococcus sp. PAMC21323 with the catalytic domain of the osmosensor EnvZ from Escherichia coli to control expression of gfp in response to glutamate. gfp was controlled by the ompC promoter through the activated response regulator OmpR-P. The chimeric TCRS-based biosensors showed a 4-fold increase in the fluorescent signal after adding glutamate. A linear correlation was observed between fluorescence intensity and exogenously added glutamate concentration. The chimeric TCRS-based biosensor was used to determine glutamate concentration at the single-cell level by fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Therefore, this biosensor can be used to isolate novel gene products and optimize pathways involved in amino acid production.     

Kinetics and Energetics of Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Single-Point Labeled TUPS-Cytochrome c Derivatives

Electron transfer within and between proteins is a fundamental biological phenomenon, in which efficiency depends on several physical parameters. We have engineered a number of horse heart cytochrome c single-point mutants with cysteine substitutions at various positions of the protein surface. To these cysteines, as well as to several native lysine side chains, the photoinduced redox label 8-thiouredopyrene-1,3,6-trisulfonate (TUPS) was covalently attached. The long-lived, low potential triplet excited state of TUPS, generated with high quantum efficiency, serves as an electron donor to the oxidized heme c. The rates of the forward (from the label to the heme) and the reverse (from the reduced heme back to the oxidized label) electron transfer reactions were obtained from multichannel and single wavelength flash photolysis absorption kinetic experiments. The electronic coupling term and the reorganization energy for electron transfer in this system were estimated from temperature-dependent experiments and compared with calculated parameters using the crystal and the solution NMR structure of the protein. These results together with the observation of multiexponential kinetics strongly support earlier conclusions that the flexible arm connecting TUPS to the protein allows several shortcut routes for the electron involving through space jumps between the label and the protein surface.     

Construction of a protein-engineered variant of d-fructose dehydrogenase for direct electron transfer-type bioelectrocatalysis

d-Fructose dehydrogenase (FDH), a heterotrimeric membrane-bound enzyme, exhibits strong activity in direct electron transfer- (DET-) type bioelectrocatalysis. We constructed a variant (Δ1cFDH) that lacks 143 amino acid residues involving one heme c moiety (called heme 1c) on the N-terminus of subunit II, and characterized the bioelectrocatalytic properties of Δ1cFDH using cyclic voltammetry. A clear DET-type catalytic oxidation wave of d-fructose was observed at the Δ1cFDH-adsorbed Au electrodes. The result clearly indicates that the electrons accepted at the flavin adenine dinucleotide catalytic center in subunit I are transferred to electrodes via two of the three heme c moieties in subunit II without going through heme 1c. In addition, the limiting current density of Δ1cFDH was one and a half times larger than that of the native FDH in DET-type bioelectrocatalysis. The downsizing protein engineering causes an increase in the surface concentration of the electrochemically effective enzymes and an improvement in the heterogeneous electron transfer kinetics.     

High-resolution electron microscopic study of manganese silicides MnSi2−x

Several members of the family of Nowotny phases with compositions MnSi_2−x are studied by means of electron diffraction and high-resolution electron microscopy. The diffraction patterns exhibit spacing as well as orientation “anomalies.” From the corresponding high-resolution images it is concluded that the compounds exhibit a particular type of disorder. The spacing anomalies result from the fact that the manganese and silicon arrangements have different and to some extent independent periods along the c direction of the tetragonal structure. The orientation anomaly is due to the fact that the silicon helices can be shifted longitudinally along the c axis of the manganese sublattice. Dislocation-like arrangements of lattice fringes can consistently be explained by means of this model.     

Oxygen-reducing electrodes based on layer-by-layer assemblies of cytochrome c and laccasse

Electroactive multilayer assemblies combining the redox protein cytochrome c and the enzyme laccase were fabricated by the layer-by-layer adsorption technique on gold electrodes and were shown to be capable of direct oxygen reduction. Laccase from trametes versicolor was electrostatically immobilized on multilayer films consisting of cytochrome c and the polyelectrolyte polyanilinesulfonic acid. The layer formation was monitored by quartz crystal microbalance. The electrochemical behavior of the electrodes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry. The resulting assembly exhibited a catalytic oxygen reduction current. This indicates a multi-step electron transport chain from the electrode via the cytochrome c layers towards laccase, and finally, to molecular oxygen. The catalytic efficiency of the electrodes was examined in the pH range from 4.5 to 7.0, showing highest enzymatic oxygen reduction at pH 4.5. Furthermore, the catalytic current was found to correlate linearly with the oxygen content of the solution. This suggests that the overall current is limited by the catalytic reduction of oxygen by the laccase rather than by the preceding electron transfer steps.     

Immobilization and direct electrochemistry of cytochrome <Emphasis Type="BoldItalic">c</Emphasis> at a single-walled carbon nanotube-modified electrode

A single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT)-modified electrode was fabricated and characterized by SEM and ac impedance techniques. The direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c (Cyt c), which was adsorbed on the surface of the SWNT, was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The results from cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroscopy indicated that Cyt c remained in its original structure and did not undergo structural change after its immobilization on the SWNT. Further results demonstrated that the SWNT had promotional effects on the direct electron transfer of Cyt c and also indicated that the immobilized Cyt c retained its electrocatalytic activity to the reduction of H₂O₂. This modified electrode might be used in development of new biosensors and the biofuel cells.     

Extraction and separation of a lysine-rich protein by formation of supramolecule between crown ether and protein in aqueous two-phase system

The macrocyclic calixarenes and crown ethers have recently been found to form hydrophobic complexes with the cationic protein cytochrome c (Cyt-c), by recognizing lysine residues on the protein surface. In the present study, it was found that the distribution of cytochrome c in Li₂SO₄/PEG aqueous two-phase system (ATPS) can be controlled by complexation with the crown ether dicyclohexano-18-crown-6 (DCH18C6). The protein was quantitatively extracted into the PEG-rich phase in the presence of DCH18C6 and perchlorate ion. Of various crown ethers and their analogues that were investigated, only DCH18C6 was able to extract cytochrome c into the PEG-rich phase. Extraction of cytochrome c in the ATPS using DCH18C6 is complete within 5 min. Cytochrome c complexed with DCH18C6 in the PEG-rich phase was quantitatively recovered into a salt-rich phase using K₂SO₄ by ion exchange of potassium ion and cationic protein in the cationic protein complex with DCH18C6. Selective extraction of cationic proteins was demonstrated in the ATPS. Under optimum conditions, the lysine-rich protein cytochrome c was selectively extracted over other cationic proteins using DCH18C6.     

Direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c on a phosphonic acid terminated self-assembled monolayers

The direct electrochemistry of cytochrome c (cyt c) on a gold electrode modified with 3-mercaptopropylphosphonic acid [HS-(CH₂)₃-PO₃H₂, MPPA] self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) was for the first time investigated. Electrochemical measurements and surface-enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopic reveal that the adsorption kinetics of cyt c on the MPPA-SAMs is very fast (saturation adsorption is completed within 5 s) and the immobilized cyt c molecules retain their native secondary protein structure. The nature of interaction between cyt c and -PO₃H₂ groups is mainly the electrostatic interaction. The direct electrochemistry of the immobilized cyt c on the -PO₃H₂ terminated SAMs with short chain is nearly reversible. Its formal potential (E⁰′ = 18 ± 3 mV vs. SCE) is very close to that of cyt c in an aqueous solution (E⁰′ = 18-22 mV vs. SCE). In addition, the electron transfer rate of cyt c immobilized on -PO₃H₂ terminated SAMs is relatively slow as compared to -SO₃H and -COOH terminated SAMs, indicating excess negative charge density on the SAMs surface will decrease the electron transfer rate of cyt c.     

Dynamic DSC,SAXS and WAXS on homogeneous ethylene-propylene and ethylene-octene copolymers with high comonomer contents

Ethylene-propylene (EP) and ethylene-octene (EO) copolymers polymerized with the aid of homogeneous vanadium and metallocene catalysts were compared by DSC and time-resolved simultaneous SAXS-WAXS-DSC at scanning rates of 10 and 20°C min^?1 using synchrotron radiation. An EP copolymer with a density of 896 kg m^?3 (about 89 mol % ethylene) after compression moulding gave orthorhombic WAXS reflections. The crystallinity as a function of temperature [w ^c (T)] calculated from these reflections using the two-phase model was in good agreement withw ^c (T) calculated fromc _p measurements using DSC. Thec _p measurements also enabled calculation of the baselinec _p and the excessc _p. The SAXS measurements revealed a strong change in the long period in cooling and in heating. The SAXS invariant as a function of temperature showed a maximum in both cooling and heating, which could be explained from the opposing influences of the crystallinity and the electron density difference between the two phases. Two EO copolymers with densities of about 871 kg m^?3 (about 87 mol% ethylene) no longer showed any clear WAXS reflections, although DSC and SAXS measurements showed that these copolymers did crystallize. The similarity between the results led to the conclusion that the copolymers, though based on different catalyst systems — vanadium and metallocene — did not have strongly different sets of propagation probabilities of chain growth during polymerization. On the basis of a Monte Carlo simulation model of crystallization and morphology, based on detailed knowledge of the microchain structure, the difference between WAXS on the one hand and DSC and SAXS on the other could be explained as being due to loosely packed crystallized ethylene sequences in clusters. These do cause the density and the electron density of the cluster to increase (which is measurable by SAXS) and the enthalpy to decrease (which is measurable by DSC) but the clusters are too small and/or too imperfect to give constructive interference in the case of WAXS. Of an EP copolymer with an even lower ethylene content (about 69 mol %), the crystallization and melting processes could still be readily measured by DSC and SAXS, which proves that these techniques are eminently suitable for investigating the crystallization and melting behaviour of the copolymers studied.     

Electroosmotic pump-assisted capillary electrophoresis of proteins

A new method for protein analysis, that is, electroosmotic pump-assisted capillary electrophoresis (EOPACE), is developed and demonstrated to possess several advantages over other CE-based techniques. The column employed in EOPACE consists of two linked sections, poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)-coated and uncoated capillaries. The PVA-coated capillary column is the section for protein electrophoresis in EOPACE. Electroosmotic flow (EOF) is almost completely suppressed in this hydrophilic polymer coated section, so protein electrophoresis in the PVA-modified capillary is free of irreversible protein adsorption to the capillary inner wall. The uncoated capillary section serves as an electroosmotic pump, since EOF towards cathode occurs at neutral pH in the naked silica capillary. By the separation of a protein mixture containing cytochrome c (Cyt-c), myoglobin and trypsin inhibitor, we have demonstrated the advantages of EOPACE method over other relevant ones such as pressure assisted CE, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) with naked capillary and CZE with PVA-coated capillary. A significant feature of EOPACE is that simultaneous separation of cationic, anionic and uncharged proteins at neutral pH can be readily accomplished by a single run, which is impossible or difficult to realize by the other CE-based methods. The high column efficiency and good reproducibility in protein analysis by EOPACE are verified and discussed. In addition, separation of tryptic digests of Cyt-c with the EOPACE system is demonstrated.