Circular dichroism and resonance Raman comparative studies of wild type cytochrome c and F82H mutant

The UV-visible, circular dichroism (CD), and resonance Raman (RR) spectra of the wild type yeast iso-1-cytochrome c (WT) and its mutant F82H in which phenylalanine-82 (Phe-82) is substituted with His are measured and compared for oxidized and reduced forms. The CD spectra in the intrinsic and Soret spectral region, as well as RR spectra in high, middle, and low frequency regions, are discussed. From the analysis of the spectra, it is determined that in the oxidized F82H the two axial ligands to the heme iron are His-18 and His-82 whereas in the reduced form the sixth ligand switches from His-82 to Met-80 providing the coordination geometry similar to that of WT. Based on the spectroscopic data, the conclusion is that the porphyrin macrocycle is less distorted in the oxidized F82H compared to the oxidized WT. Similar distortions are present in the reduced form of the proteins. Frequency shifts of Raman bands, as well as the decrease of the or-helix content in the CD spectra, indicate more open conformation of the protein around the heme. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Sol-gel-derived amperometric biosensor for hydrogen peroxide based on methylene green incorporated in Nafion film

A hydrogen peroxide biosensor was fabricated by coating a sol-gel-peroxidase layer onto a Nafion-methylene green modified electrode. Immobilization of methylene green (MG) was attributed to the electrostatic force between MG(+) and the negatively charged sulfonic acid groups in Nafion polymer, whereas immobilization of horseradish peroxidase was attributed to the encapsulation function of the silica sol-gel network. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry were employed to demonstrate the feasibility of electron transfer between sol-gel-immobilized peroxidase and a glassy carbon electrode. Performance of the sensor was evaluated with respect to response time, sensitivity as well as operational stability. The enzyme electrode has a sensitivity of 13.5 mu A mM(-1) with a detection limit of 1.0 x 10(-7) M H2O2, and the sensor achieved 95% of the steady-state current within 20 s. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical behavior of redox species at carbon fibre microdisk array electrode modified with mixed-valent molybdenum(VI, V) oxide

In this study, electrode responses to a large number of electroactive species with different standard potentials at the molybdenum oxide-modified carbon fibre microdisk array (CFMA) electrode were investigated. The results demonstrated that the electrochemical behavior for those redox species with formal potentials more positive than similar to 0.0 V at the molybdenum oxide-modified CFMA electrode were affected by the range and direction of the potential scan, which were different from that at a bare CFMA electrode. If the lower limit of the potential scan was more positive than the reduction potential of the molybdenum oxide film, neither the oxidation nor the reduction peaks of the redox species tested could be observed. This indicates that electron transfer between the molybdenum oxide film on the electrode and the electroactive species in solution is blocked due to the existence of a high resistance between the film and electrolyte in these potential ranges. If the lower limit of the potential scan was more negative than the reduction potential of the molybdenum oxide film (similar to - 0.6 V), the oxidation peaks of these species occurred at the potentials near their formal potentials. In addition, the electrochemical behavior of these redox species at the molybdenum oxide-modified CFMA electrode showed a diffusionless electron transfer process. On the other hand, the redox species with formal potentials more negative than similar to - 0.2 V showed similar reversible voltammetric behaviors at both the molybdenum oxide-modified CFMA electrode and the bare electrode. This can be explained by the structure changes of the film before and after reduction of the film. In addition we also observed that the peak currents of some redox species at the modified electrode were much larger than those at a bare electrode under the same conditions, which has been explained by the interaction between these redox species and the reduction state of the molybdenum oxide film. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

Electrochemistry and spectroscopy study on the interaction of microperoxidase-11 with lipid membrane

The interaction of microperoxidase-11 (MP11) with cationic lipid vesicles of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) induces an alpha -helical conformation from random coil conformations in solution and this change then makes heme macrocycle more distorted. DDAB-induced MP11 conformations were investigated by cyclic votammetry (CV), circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis spectrometry. All results indicate that the binding of MP11 in solution to DDAB vesicles and the ordered structure formation are driven by mostly electrostatic interaction between negatively charged residues in the undecapeptide and positively charged lipid headgroups on the membrane surface. Upon binding to DDAB, its half-peak potential was also changed. The mechanism of the interaction between MP11 and DDAB was also discussed. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Amperometric tyrosinase biosensor based on a sol-gel-derived titanium oxide-copolymer composite matrix for detection of phenolic compounds

A new type of tyrosinase biosensor was developed for the detection of phenolic compounds, based on the immobilization of tyrosinase in a sol-gel-derived composite matrix that is composed of titanium oxide sol and a grafting copolymer of poly(vinyl alcohol) with 4-vinylpyridine. Tyrosinase entrapped in the composite matrix can retain its activity to a large extent owing to the good biocompatibility of the matrix. The parameters of the fabrication process and the variables of the experimental conditions for the enzyme electrode were optimized. The resulting sensor exhibited a fast response (20 s), high sensitivity (145.5 muA mmol(-1) 1) and good storage stability. A detection limit of 0.5 muM catechol was obtained at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3.

Oxidation of ascorbic acid by dopamine incorporated in mimetic biomembrane

A kind of mimetic biomembrane-cast lipid film was made onto a glassy carbon electrode. Dopamine can be incorporated into the film. The oxidation of 2.0 x 10(-3) mol/L ascorbic acid with dopamine in the film was investigated. The oxidation overpotential of ascorbic acid was reduced by about 260 mV.

Formation of a self-assembled monolayer of 2-mercapto-3-n-octylthiophene on gold

Monolayer assembly of 2-mercapto-3-n-octylthiophene (MOT) having a relatively large headgroup onto gold surface from its dilute ethanolic solutions has been investigated by electrochemistry. An electrochemical capacitance measurement on the permeability of the monolayer to aqueous ions, as compared with its alkanethiol counterpart [CH3(CH2)(9)SH (DT)] with a similar molecular length, shows that the self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of MOT can be penetrated by aqueous ions to some extent. Furthermore, organic molecular probes, such as dopamine, can sufficiently diffuse into the monolayer because a diffusion-limited current peak is observed when the dopamine oxidation reaction takes place, showing that the monolayer is loosely packed or dominated by defects. But the results of electron transfer to aqueous redox probes (including voltammetry in Fe(CN)(6)(3-/4-) solutions and electrochemical ac impedance spectrum) confirm that the monolayer can passivate the gold electrode surface effectively for its very low ratio of pinhole defects. Moreover, a heterogeneous patching process involving addition of the surfactants into the SAMs provides a mixed or hybrid membrane that has superior passivating properties. These studies show that the MOT monolayer on the electrode can provide an excellent barrier for hydrated ionic probe penetration but cannot resist the organic species penetration effectively. The unusual properties of the SAMs are attributed to the entity of the relatively large thiophene moiety between the carbon chain and the thiol group.

Electrochemical and in situ spectroelectrochemical behavior of 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octakis(hexyl-thio) tetraazaporphyrin (H(2)OHTTAP) and (Zn(II)OHTTAP)

The characterization of free base porphyrin 2,3,7,8,12,13,17,18-octakis(hexyl-thio) tetraazaporphyrin (H(2)OHTTAP) and its zinc(II) complexes [Zn(II)OHTTAP] containing eight thioether groups at the beta -pyrrole positions of the macrocycle was reported. Results obtained by cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry indicated a five-electron reduction in five steps for each complex. They were oxidized in two single-electron-transfer steps to yield pi -cation radicals and dications and reduced in three single-electron-transfer steps to yield pi -anion radicals, dianions and trianions, respectively. The redox property of H(2)OHTTAP was unusual as compared to porphyrins (PPs) and phthalocyanines (Pcs). Each process was monitored by in situ thin-layer spectroelectrochemistry, which indicated that only the Ligand was electroactive. The existence of the eight hexylthio groups was responsible for the intrastack interactions and enhanced intracolumnar and intercolumnar electron motions, resulting in improved conductivity. Copyright (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

NMR and UV-Vis study on phenyl-capped oligoaniline salts

Phenyl-capped oligoanilines in the oxidized state and their salts (by camphor sulfonic acid, CSA) were comparatively studied by UV-Vis and NMR spectroscopy. The UV-Vis spectra revealed a similar electron transfer behaviour and similar structure in the tetraaniline to those in polyaniline. Upon formation of the salt, H-1 NMR CH peaks of the oligomers showed large shifts to lower fields. The longer the molecule of a oligomer is, the more the shift, indicating that the charge brought into the N atoms by the proton was redistributed over the whole molecule. The CH and quaternary carbon peak-shifts support the electron cloud motion route H -->C -->C -->N -->H. This is in agreement with the four ring BQ derivatives model.

The electrochemically induced conformational transition of disulfides in bovine serum albumin studied by thin layer circular dichroism spectroelectrochemistry

The conformational transition of disulfides in bovine serum albumin (BSA) induced by electrochemical redox reaction of disulfides were monitored by in-situ circular dichroism (CD) spectroelectrochemistry, with a long optical path thin layer cell and analyzed by a singular value decomposition least square (SVDLS) method. Electrochemical reduction of disulfides drives the left-handed conformation of disulfides changed into the right-handed. At open circuit, eight of the 17 disulfides were of left-handed conformation. Four of the 17 disulfides took part in the electrochemical reduction with an EC mechanism. Only one-fourth of the reduced disulfides returned to left-handed conformation in the re-oxidation process. Some parameters of the electrochemical reduction process, i.e. the number of electrons transferred and electron transfer coefficient, n=8, alphan=0.15, apparent formal potential, E-1(0') = -0.65(+/-0.01) V, standard heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant, k(1)(0) = (2.84 +/- 0.14)x 10(-5) cm s(-1) and chemical reaction equilibrium constant, K-c=(5.13 +/- 0.12) x 10(-2), were also obtained by double logarithmic analysis based on the near-UV absorption spectra with applied potentials. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemiluminescence and its application

The recent development of electrochemiluminescence and its application including quantitative analysis, surface analysis, dynamics research, electron transfer research, and light emitting device are reviewed.

Recent advances in scanning electrochemical microscopy

The basic principle, instrumentation and recent advances of scanning electrochemical microscopy are briefly reviewed with 55 references.

Determination of surface pK(a) of SAM using an electrochemical titration method

A self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (HSCH2CH2COOH) was formed on a gold electrode. The effect of the charge of the end group on the electrochemical response of Fe(CN)(6)(3-) at the SAM modified electrode was studied by using cyclic voltammetry. At high pH, when the -COOH groups are dissociated, Fe(CN)(6)(3-) current is suppressed; as the solution pH is lowered, Fe(CN)(6)(3-) current increases. The electrochemical titration curve was obtained by correlating the currents to the different electrolyte pH values, from which the surface pK(a) was obtained to be 5.2+/-0.1. Furthermore, a calculation equation was presented to simulate the electrochemical titration. As comparison, the surface pK(a) was also measured by contact angle titration as 5.6+/-0.1. The surface pK(a) values determined by the two methods in our work are consistent and accurate.

Investigation of a series of synthetic cationic porphyrins using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS) was used to study a series of synthetic cationic porphyrins as the perchlorate and bromide salts. This work presents the analytical results for the porphyrins obtained using 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB) and 1,8,9-anthratriol as matrices. The selective use of matrix affects ion formation from these porphyrins. By using DHB as the matrix, we not only observed [M - nCIO(4)](+) (n = 1-4) ions, but also obtained [2M - nCIO(4)](+) (n = 2-7) ions from the synthetic cationic porphyrins. The space volume of the side chains (R groups) and the nature of the anions (Br- or CIO4-) affected the relative importance of monomeric and dimeric ions of the porphyrin. The possible mechanisms of desorption and ionization of these cationic porphyrins were also considered in this study. MALDI-TOFMS proved to be a very useful method for obtaining structural information on these synthetic cationic porphyrins. Copyright (C) 1999 John Whey & Sons, Ltd.

In-situ circular dichroism spectroelectrochemical study on the redox process of norepinephrine

The redox process of norepinephrine in pH = 7.0 phosphate buffer solution at glassy carbon electrode was studied by circular dichroism spectroelectrochemistry with a long optical path thin layer cell. The spectroelectrochemical data were analyzed with the double logarithm method. According to the double logarithsmic plot results, the mechanism of electrochemical oxidation of norepinephrine is an irreversible process with a subsequent chemical reaction (EC) to form a norepinephrinechrome. Both of norepinephrinequinone and norepinephrinechrome are followed E mechanisms. Some kinetic parameters about the electrochemical process, i.e. the electron transfer coefficient and number of electron transfered, alpha n = 0.38, the formal potential, E-1(0)' = 0.20 V, the standard heterogenous electron transfer rate constant, k(1)(0) = 1.2 x 10(-4) cm s(-1) for the oxidation of norepinephrine, alpha n = 0.37, E-2(0)' = 0.25 V and k(2)(0) = 4.4 x 10(-5) cm . s(-1) for the reduction of norepinephrinequnone and alpha n = 0.33, E-3(0)' = -0.25V and k(3)(0) = 1.1 x 10(-4) cm . s(-1) for the reduction of norpinephrinechrome, were also estimated.