Electrochemical Studies on Nitrite Reductase toward a Biosensor

M. Scharf, C. Moreno, C. Costa, C. Vandijk, W. J. Payne, J. Legall, I. Moura, José J. G. Moura

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30 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A c-type hexaheme nitrite reductase (NiR) isolated from nitrate-grown cells of Desulfovibrio desulfuricans (Dd) ATCC 27774 catalyses the: six-electron reduction of nitrite to ammonia. Previous electrochemical studies demonstrated that a simple electrocatalytic mechanism can be applied to this system (Moreno, C., Costa, C., Moura, I., LeGall, J., Liu, M.Y., Payne, W.J., Van Dijk, C. and Moura, J.J.G. (1992) Eur.J.Biochem.212, 79-86). Its substrate specificity, availability and stability under ambient conditions makes this enzymatic system a promising candidate for use in a biosensor device. An electrochemical study of gel-immobilized Dd NiR on a glassy carbon electrode revealed both enzymatic activity and amperometric response to nitrite. In this study it was observed that the catalytic current density is a function of the nitrite concentration in solution and follows a characteristic Michaelis-Menten-type substrate dependence. Such a biosensor device (NiR-electrode) bears the option to be used for analytical determination of nitrite in complex media.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1018-1025
Number of pages8
JournalBiochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
Volume209
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 26 Apr 1995

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