Evaluation of a biohybrid photoelectrochemical cell employing the purple bacterial reaction centre as a biosensor for herbicides

Swainsbury, David J.K., Friebe, Vincent M., Frese, Raoul N. and Jones, Michael R. (2014) Evaluation of a biohybrid photoelectrochemical cell employing the purple bacterial reaction centre as a biosensor for herbicides. Biosensors and Bioelectronics, 58. pp. 172-178. ISSN 0956-5663

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Abstract

The Rhodobacter sphaeroides reaction centre is a relatively robust and tractable membrane protein that has potential for exploitation in technological applications, including biohybrid devices for photovoltaics and biosensing. This report assessed the usefulness of the photocurrent generated by this reaction centre adhered to a small working electrode as the basis for a biosensor for classes of herbicides used extensively for the control of weeds in major agricultural crops. Photocurrent generation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner by the triazides atrazine and terbutryn, but not by nitrile or phenylurea herbicides. Measurements of the effects of these herbicides on the kinetics of charge recombination in photo-oxidised reaction centres in solution showed the same selectivity of response. Titrations of reaction centre photocurrents yielded half maximal inhibitory concentrations of 208. nM and 2.1. μM for terbutryn and atrazine, respectively, with limits of detection estimated at around 8. nM and 50. nM, respectively. Photocurrent attenuation provided a direct measure of herbicide concentration, with no need for model-dependent kinetic analysis of the signal used for detection or the use of prohibitively complex instrumentation, and prospects for the use of protein engineering to develop the sensitivity and selectivity of herbicide binding by the Rba. sphaeroides reaction centre are discussed.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Funding Information: This work was supported by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council of the United Kingdom (MRJ and DJKS) and EU COST Action TD1102 – Photosynthetic proteins for technological applications: biosensors and biochips (PHOTOTECH) .
Uncontrolled Keywords: atrazine,biosensor,herbicide,photocurrent,photovoltaics,reaction centre,biotechnology,biophysics,biomedical engineering,electrochemistry ,/dk/atira/pure/subjectarea/asjc/1300/1305
Faculty \ School: Faculty of Science > School of Biological Sciences
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Depositing User: LivePure Connector
Date Deposited: 17 Aug 2022 12:32
Last Modified: 22 Oct 2022 07:55
URI: https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/87375
DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2014.02.050

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