No abstract

Electropolymerization of aniline in the presence of poly(acrylic acid) on Au electrodes yields a polyaniline/poly(acrylic acid) composite film, exhibiting reversible redox functions in aqueous solutions at pH = 7.0. In situ electrochemical-SPR measurements are used to identify the dynamics of swelling and shrinking of the polymer film upon the oxidation of the polyaniline (PAn) to its oxidized state (PAn(2+)) and the reduction of the oxidized polymer (PAn(2+)) back to its reduced state (PAn), respectively. Covalent attachment of N(6)-(2-aminoethyl)-flavin adenin dinucleotide (amino-FAD, 1) to the carboxylic groups of the composite polyaniline/poly(acrylic acid) film followed by the reconstitution of apoglucose oxidase on the functional polymer yields an electrically contacted glucose oxidase of unprecedented electrical communication efficiency with the electrode: electron-transfer turnover rate approximately 1000 s(-1) at 30 degrees C. In situ electrochemical-SPR analyses are used to characterize the bioelectrocatalytic functions of the biomaterial-polymer interface. The current responses of the bioelectrocatalytic system increase as the glucose concentrations are elevated. Similarly, the SPR spectra of the system are controlled by the concentration of glucose. The glucose concentration controls the steady-state concentration ratio of PAn/PAn(2+) in the film composition. Therefore, the SPR spectrum of the film measured upon its electrochemical oxidation is shifted from the spectrum typical for the oxidized PAn(2+) at low glucose concentration to the spectrum characteristic of the reduced PAn at high glucose concentration. Similarly, the polyaniline/poly(acrylic acid) film acts as an electrocatalyst for the oxidation of NADH. Accordingly, an integrated bioelectrocatalytic assembly was constructed on the electrode by the covalent attachment of N(6)-(2-aminoethyl)-beta-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (amino-NAD(+), 2) to the polymer film, and the two-dimensional cross-linking of an affinity complex formed between lactate dehydrogenase and the NAD(+)-cofactor units associated with the polymer using glutaric dialdehyde as a cross-linker. In situ electrochemical-SPR measurements are used to characterize the bioelectrocatalytic functions of the system. The amperometric responses of the system increase as the concentrations of lactate are elevated, and an electron-transfer turnover rate of 350 s(-1) between the biocatalyst and the electrode is estimated. As the PAn(2+) oxidizes the NADH units generated by the biocatalyzed oxidation of lactate, the PAn/PAn(2+) steady-state ratio in the film is controlled by the concentration of lactate. Accordingly, the SPR spectrum measured upon electrochemical oxidation of the film is similar to the spectrum of PAn(2+) at low lactate concentration, whereas the SPR spectrum resembles that of PAn at high concentrations of lactate.

Efficient electron transfer of redox proteins to and from their environment is essential for the use of such proteins in biotechnological applications such as amperometric biosensors and photosynthetic biocatalysts. But most redox enzymes lack pathways that can transport an electron from their embedded redox site to an electrode or a diffusing photoexcited species. Electrical communication between redox proteins and electrode surfaces has been improved by aligning proteins on chemically modified electrodes, by attaching electron-transporting groups and by immobilizing proteins in polymer matrices tethered by redox groups. Generally these methods involve contacting the enzymes at random with electron relay units. Here we report an approach that allows site-specific positioning of electron-mediating units in redox proteins. We strip glucose oxidase of its flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactors, modify the latter with redox-active ferrocene-containing groups, and then reconstitute the apoprotein with these modified cofactors. In this way, electrical contact between an electrode and the resulting enzyme in solution is greatly enhanced in a controlled and reproducible way.

No abstract

Multienzyme reaction systems with simultaneous coenzyme regeneration have been investigated in a continuously operated membrane reactor at bench scale. NAD(H) covalently bound to polyethylene glycol with a molecular weight of 104 [PEG‐10,000‐NAD(H)] was used as coenzyme. It could be retained in the membrane reactor together with the enzymes. L‐leucine dehydrogenase (LEUDH) was used as catalyze for the reductive amination of α‐ketoisocaproate (2‐oxo‐4‐methylpentanoic acid) to L‐leucine. Format dehydrogenease (FDH) was used for the regeneration of NADH. Kinetic experiments were carried out to obtain data which could be used in a kinetic model in order to predict the performance of an enzyme membrane reactor for the continuous production of L‐leucine. The kinetic constants Vmax and Km of enzymes are all in the same range regardless of whether native NAD(H) or PEG‐10,000‐NAD(H) is used as coenzyme. L‐leucine was produced continuously out of α‐ketoisocaproate for 48 days; a maximal conversion of 99.7% was reached. The space‐time yield was 324 mmol/L day (or 42.5 g/L day).