Sensors 2010, 10(5), 4739-4755; doi:10.3390/s100504739
Article

Biosensing for the Environment and Defence: Aqueous Uranyl Detection Using Bacterial Surface Layer Proteins

David J.R. Conroy 1,* email, Paul A. Millner 1 email, Douglas I. Stewart 2 email and Katrin Pollmann 3 email
1 Biosensors and Biocatalysis Group, Institute of Membranes and Systems Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK 2 School of Civil Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK 3 Institute of Radiochemistry, Forschungszentrum Dresden, Rossendorf, Germany
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Received: 5 March 2010; in revised form: 22 April 2010 / Accepted: 27 April 2010 / Published: 10 May 2010
(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Sensors Technology in the UK)
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Abstract: The fabrication of novel uranyl (UO22+) binding protein based sensors is reported. The new biosensor responds to picomolar levels of aqueous uranyl ions within minutes using Lysinibacillus sphaericus JG-A12 S-layer protein tethered to gold electrodes. In comparison to traditional self assembled monolayer based biosensors the porous bioconjugated layer gave greater stability, longer electrode life span and a denser protein layer. Biosensors responded specifically to UO22+ ions and showed minor interference from Ni2+, Cs+, Cd2+ and Co2+. Chemical modification of JG-A12 protein phosphate and carboxyl groups prevented UO22+ binding, showing that both moieties are involved in the recognition to UO22+.
Keywords: S-layer; surface layer; protein biosensor; uranium; uranyl; metal ion; sequestering; impedance spectroscopy

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MDPI and ACS Style

Conroy, D.J.; Millner, P.A.; Stewart, D.I.; Pollmann, K. Biosensing for the Environment and Defence: Aqueous Uranyl Detection Using Bacterial Surface Layer Proteins. Sensors 2010, 10, 4739-4755.

AMA Style

Conroy DJ, Millner PA, Stewart DI, Pollmann K. Biosensing for the Environment and Defence: Aqueous Uranyl Detection Using Bacterial Surface Layer Proteins. Sensors. 2010; 10(5):4739-4755.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Conroy, David J.R.; Millner, Paul A.; Stewart, Douglas I.; Pollmann, Katrin. 2010. "Biosensing for the Environment and Defence: Aqueous Uranyl Detection Using Bacterial Surface Layer Proteins." Sensors 10, no. 5: 4739-4755.

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