In Situ Enzymatically Generated Photoswitchable Oxidase Mimetics and Their Application for Colorimetric Detection of Glucose Oxidase

• Main Authors: Gen-Xia Cao, Xiu-Ming Wu, Yu-Ming Dong, Zai-Jun Li, Guang-Li Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2016-07-01
• Series: Molecules
• Subjects: glucose oxidase; photoswitchable oxidase mimetics; visible light; colorimetric sensor
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/21/7/902

In this study, a simple and amplified colorimetric assay is developed for the detection of the enzymatic activity of glucose oxidase (GOx) based on in situ formation of a photoswitchable oxidase mimetic of PO43−-capped CdS quantum dots (QDs). GOx catalyzes the oxidation of 1-thio-β-d-glucose to give 1-thio-β-d-gluconic acid which spontaneously hydrolyzes to β-d-gluconic acid and H2S; the generated H2S instantly reacts with Cd2+ in the presence of Na3PO4 to give PO43−-stabilized CdS QDs in situ. Under visible-light (λ ≥ 400 nm) stimulation, the PO43−-capped CdS QDs are a new style of oxidase mimic derived by producing some active species, such as h+, •OH, O2•− and a little H2O2, which can oxidize the typical substrate (3,3,5,5-tetramethylbenzydine (TMB)) with a color change. Based on the GOx-triggered growth of the oxidase mimetics of PO43−-capped CdS QDs in situ, we developed a simple and amplified colorimetric assay to probe the enzymatic activity of GOx. The proposed method allowed the detection of the enzymatic activity of GOx over the range from 25 μg/L to 50 mg/L with a low detection limit of 6.6 μg/L. We believe the PO43−-capped CdS QDs generated in situ with photo-stimulated enzyme-mimicking activity may find wide potential applications in biosensors.