High-performance glucose isomerase detection enabled by self-cascade copper oxide nanozyme system
Jian-Qing Liu1, Ye-Bin Feng2, Yin-Feng Xiao3
1School of Pharmacy, Quanzhou Medical College, Quanzhou, 362000, China.
Talanta
|August 17, 2025
Summary
A new method enhances glucose isomerase (GI) detection using copper oxide nanozymes. This sensitive and simple approach improves upon existing techniques for GI activity analysis in food and agriculture.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Enzyme kinetics
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Glucose isomerase (GI), or D-xylose isomerase, is vital for converting glucose to fructose.
- Current methods for detecting GI activity lack sensitivity and are operationally complex.
- There is a need for improved, practical methods for GI detection.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel and highly sensitive detection strategy for glucose isomerase (GI) activity.
- To couple GI-catalyzed isomerization with a self-cascade copper oxide (CuO) nanozyme system for signal amplification.
- To validate the method's performance and practicality for various applications.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a self-cascade copper oxide (CuO) nanozyme system coupled with GI-catalyzed isomerization.
- Leveraged the dual fructose oxidase-like and peroxidase-like activities of CuO nanozymes for signal amplification.
- Performed spiking recovery experiments on various GI samples.
Main Results:
- Achieved a broad linear range for detection from 0.3 to 9.375 U/mL.
- Established a low detection limit of 0.11 U/mL, surpassing existing methods.
- Demonstrated high spiking recovery rates (86.22%–107.34%) in real-world samples.
Conclusions:
- The proposed CuO nanozyme-based method offers high sensitivity, simplicity, and practicality for GI detection.
- This novel strategy shows significant promise for screening GI-producing bacterial strains.
- The method is suitable for detecting GI activity across diverse applications in the food and agricultural industries.
