Bioinspiration is an attractive way to develop new robust chemistry. In biological cell, chemical reactions form complex networks (e.g. signaling and metabolic) that communicate with each other and control cell division, growth, and interaction with environment. Thus, combining multiple chemical subsystems into a single network is an attractive way to design a chemical system with new functions. In this paper, we combined two chemical networks: i) a photocatalytic oxidation/ reduction on TiO2 particles, and ii) an autocatalytic formation of enzyme trypsin (Tr) from its precursor trypsinogen (Tg). Moreover, we put the combined network in hydrogel media, where all reactions are coupled to diffusion, to achieve a photocatalytic regulation of an autocatalytic wave. We showed that TiO2 particles affected the fluorescence quenching of Tr, but, without irradiation, had no effect on the autocatalytic formation of Tr. With irradiation, however, a cascade of photocatalytic reactions causes media acidification that suppress the autocatalytic formation of Tr and propagation of the autocatalytic wave.

Study of molecules adsorption on charged surfaces is important for biologically relevant substances where the potential at the interface such as living cell membrane is a significant parameter in the processes of their transportation or transmembrane penetration. In this work, a hybrid optical/electrochemical surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique was applied to get new insight into the adsorption state and conformational equilibrium of neocuproine, which serves as a nucleic acid biosensor in clinical diagnostics and has biological activity towards several types of carcinoma. The density functional theory calculations performed for several rotational conformations and their anion radicals were used to determine the geometrical and energetic characteristics, to evaluate the rotational barrier, to obtain the vibrational assignment, and to consider the metal‐adsorbate charge transfer. The dependence of SERS spectra on surface potential is ascribed to a change of the rotational dynamics of methyl groups from hindered to almost free at potentials ≤−200 mV. It is demonstrated for the first time that SERS spectroscopy is capable to recognize the surface species, which differ in the methyl group internal rotation.

Blind and color blind people cannot afford colorimetric diagnostics; the problem is especially severe in rural areas where high temperatures and the absence of electricity challenge modern diagnostics.