Stable protein device platform based on pyridine dicarboxylic acid-bound cubic-nanostructured mesoporous titania films

Here we shortly report a protein device platform that is extremely stable in a buffer condition similar to human bodies. The protein device platform was fabricated by covalently attaching cytochrome c (cyt c) protein molecules to organic coupler molecules (pyridine dicarboxylic acid, PDA) that were already covalently bound to an electron-transporting substrate. A cubic nanostructured mesoporous titania film was chosen as an electron-transporting substrate because of its large-sized cubic holes (∼7 nm) and highly crystalline cubic titania walls (∼0.4 nm lattice). Binding of PDA molecules to the mesoporous titania surface was achieved by esterification reaction between carboxylic acid groups (PDA) and hydroxyl groups (titania) in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-(3- dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) mediator, whereas the immobilization of cyt c to the PDA coupler was carried out by the EDC-mediated amidation reaction between carboxylic acid groups (PDA) and amine groups (cyt c). Results showed that the 2,4-position isomer among several PDAs exhibited the highest oxidation and reduction peak currents. The cyt c-immobilized PDA-bound titania substrates showed stable and durable electrochemical performances upon continuous current-voltage cycling for 240 times (the final current change was less than 3%) and could detect superoxide that is a core indicator for various diseases including cancers.