Self-assembled enzymatic monolayer directly bound to a gold surface: activity and molecular recognition force spectroscopy studies

Escherichia coli dihydrofolate reductase (ecDHFR) has one surface cysteine, C152, located opposite and distal to the active site. Here, we show that the enzyme spontaneously assembles on an ultraflat gold surface as a homogeneous, covalently bound monolayer. Surprisingly, the activity of the gold-immobilized ecDHFR as measured by radiographic analysis was found to be similar to that of the free enzyme in solution. Molecular recognition force spectroscopy was used to study the dissociation forces involved in the rupture of AFM probe-tethered methotrexate (MTX, a tight-binding inhibitor of DHFR) from the gold-immobilized enzyme. Treatment of the ecDHFR monolayer with free MTX diminished the interaction of the functionalized tip with the surface, suggesting that the interaction was indeed active-site specific. These findings demonstrate the viability of a simple and direct enzymatic surface-functionalization without the use of spacers, thus, opening the door to further applications in the area of biomacromolecular force spectroscopy.