Urease-gelatin interdigitated microelectrodes for the conductometric determination of protease activity

Biosens Bioelectron. 2008 Nov 15;24(3):489-92. doi: 10.1016/j.bios.2008.06.021. Epub 2008 Jun 21.

Abstract

Conductometric microbiosensors for the determination of trypsin were elaborated via the modification of microfabricated interdigitated gold electrodes by a cross-linked urease/BSA coating covered by a gelatin film. The resulting microelectrodes were exposed to different trypsin concentrations ranging from 100 pg/mL to 1mg/mL (1 mU/mL to 10,000 U/mL) for selective proteolytic degradation of the gelatin film. Then, the conductometric response of the microbiosensors to urea (33 microM) was recorded as a function of the trypsin concentration, the gelatin amount (8-80 ng) and the incubation time (40s, 100 min). The optimum incubation time for each trypsin concentration was determined leading to a detection limit of 100 pg/mL (1 mU/mL). In these optimized conditions, the proof of concept of this sensitive, disposable, low-cost and label-free trypsin biosensors based on a conductometric transducer was demonstrated for the first time.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Biosensing Techniques / methods
  • Conductometry / instrumentation*
  • Gelatin / chemistry*
  • Microelectrodes*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Trypsin / metabolism*
  • Urease / chemistry*

Substances

  • gelatin film
  • Gelatin
  • Trypsin
  • Urease