Signal transduction and amplification through enzyme-triggered ligand release and accelerated catalysis

Chem Sci. 2015 Aug 1;6(8):4978-4985. doi: 10.1039/c5sc01588j. Epub 2015 Jun 15.

Abstract

Signal transduction and signal amplification are both important mechanisms used within biological signalling pathways. Inspired by this process, we have developed a signal amplification methodology that utilises the selectivity and high activity of enzymes in combination with the robustness and generality of an organometallic catalyst, achieving a hybrid biological and synthetic catalyst cascade. A proligand enzyme substrate was designed to selectively self-immolate in the presence of the enzyme to release a ligand that can bind to a metal pre-catalyst and accelerate the rate of a transfer hydrogenation reaction. Enzyme-triggered catalytic signal amplification was then applied to a range of catalyst substrates demonstrating that signal amplification and signal transduction can both be achieved through this methodology.