Artificial-enzyme gel membrane-based biosurveillance sensor with high reproducibility and long-term storage stability

We propose that the most sophisticated strategy for primary biosurveillance is to exploit structural commonality through the detection of biologically relevant phosphoric substances. A novel assay, an artificial-enzyme membrane was designed and synthesized for sensor fabrication. This artificial-enzyme catalyzes the hydrolysis of the diphosphoric acid anhydride structure. This structure-selective, albeit not molecule-selective, catalytic hydrolysis was successfully coupled with amperometric detection. Since the catalytic reaction produces a dephosphorylation product (PO43−), it can be reduced by an electrode potential of −250 mV vs. Ag/AgCl. Owing to the structural selectivity of the artificial-enzyme membrane, the sensor can detect biological phosphoric substances comprehensively that have the diphosphoric acid anhydride structure. The sensor successfully determined various biological phosphoric substances at concentrations in the micromolar (µM) to millimolar (mM) range, and it showed good functional stability and reproducibility in terms of sensor responses. This sensor was used to detect Escherichia coli lysed by heat treatment, and the response increased with increasing bacterial numbers. This unique technique for analyzing molecular commonality can be applied to the surveillance of biocontaminants, e.g. microorganisms, spores and viruses. Artificial-enzyme-based detection is a novel strategy for practical biosurveillance in the front line.