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Protein Film Infrared Electrochemistry Demonstrated for Study of H2 Oxidation by a [NiFe] Hydrogenase
Published on: December 4, 2017
Electrocatalysis in proteins, nucleic acids and carbohydrates
Emil Paleček1, Martin Bartošík, Veronika Ostatná
1Institute of Biophysics, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v.v.i. Kralovopolska 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic. palecek@ibp.cz
Chemical Record (New York, N.Y.)
|January 31, 2012
Summary
Proteins and osmium-modified nucleic acids and carbohydrates generate electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution signals. This method allows sensitive picomolar-level detection of biomolecules and their structural changes.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Biochemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Proteins catalyze hydrogen evolution, but traditional methods lack analytical utility.
- Electrocatalytic signals from proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates were previously underdeveloped.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop sensitive analytical methods for detecting proteins, DNA, RNA, and carbohydrates.
- To explore the electrocatalytic properties of these biomolecules and their modifications.
Main Methods:
- Constant current chronopotentiometric stripping analysis at mercury and amalgam electrodes.
- Modification of nucleic acids with osmium tetroxide complexes [Os(VIII)L].
- Binding of six-valent osmium complexes [Os(VI)L] to carbohydrates.
Main Results:
- Proteins produce a well-defined Peak H, sensitive to structural changes at the picomole level.
- Osmium-modified DNA and RNA yield electrocatalytic voltammetric signals.
- Osmium-modified carbohydrates show similar voltammetric responses.
- Electrocatalytic peaks from all modified analytes are attributed to hydrogen evolution.
Conclusions:
- Developed a sensitive picomolar-level method for analyzing proteins, nucleic acids, and carbohydrates.
- Electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution serves as a universal signal for these biomolecules after specific modifications.
- The method is valuable for detecting structural changes and quantifying biomolecules.
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