An artificial metalloenzyme biosensor can detect ethylene gas in fruits and Arabidopsis leaves

Nat Commun. 2019 Dec 17;10(1):5746. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-13758-2.

Abstract

Enzyme biosensors are useful tools that can monitor rapid changes in metabolite levels in real-time. However, current approaches are largely constrained to metabolites within a limited chemical space. With the rising development of artificial metalloenzymes (ArM), a unique opportunity exists to design biosensors from the ground-up for metabolites that are difficult to detect using current technologies. Here we present the design and development of the ArM ethylene probe (AEP), where an albumin scaffold is used to solubilize and protect a quenched ruthenium catalyst. In the presence of the phytohormone ethylene, cross metathesis can occur to produce fluorescence. The probe can be used to detect both exogenous- and endogenous-induced changes to ethylene biosynthesis in fruits and leaves. Overall, this work represents an example of an ArM biosensor, designed specifically for the spatial and temporal detection of a biological metabolite previously not accessible using enzyme biosensors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Actinidia / metabolism
  • Arabidopsis / metabolism
  • Biomimetic Materials / chemical synthesis*
  • Biosensing Techniques / instrumentation*
  • Catalysis
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic / methods
  • Enzymes / chemical synthesis
  • Enzymes / metabolism
  • Ethylenes / analysis*
  • Ethylenes / metabolism
  • Fluorescence
  • Fruit / metabolism
  • Gases / analysis
  • Gases / metabolism
  • Metalloproteins / chemical synthesis
  • Metalloproteins / metabolism*
  • Plant Growth Regulators / analysis*
  • Plant Growth Regulators / metabolism
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry
  • Ruthenium / chemistry
  • Serum Albumin, Human / chemical synthesis
  • Serum Albumin, Human / metabolism

Substances

  • Enzymes
  • Ethylenes
  • Gases
  • Metalloproteins
  • Plant Growth Regulators
  • Ruthenium
  • ethylene
  • Serum Albumin, Human