Bioconjugation in Biosensors

Biosensors are biological ingredients and combined analysis of physical and chemical detector devices, bioconjugation plays an important role in their development. Bioconjugation enables highly specific detection and quantitative analysis of target molecules through precise conjugation of biomolecules, such as antibodies, enzymes, or nucleic acids, to sensor surfaces or sensors. This specificity is critical in a variety of applications ranging from clinical diagnosis to environmental monitoring and food safety.

What are Biosensors?

Biosensors are sophisticated analytical devices designed to detect and measure specific biological substances by combining a biological element with a physicochemical detector. The biological component can be enzymes, antibodies, nucleic acids, or even whole cells, which interact specifically with the analyte of interest. This interaction produces a signal that is converted into a measurable response by the detector component, such as an electrode, optical sensor, or piezoelectric device. The integration of these components allows biosensors to provide highly specific and sensitive measurements. They are known for their ability to offer rapid and accurate analysis, often in real-time, making them invaluable tools in various scientific, medical, and industrial applications.

Bioconjugation Strategies for Biosensors

Suitable bioconjugation strategies and stabilisation of biomolecules on electrodes are essential for the development of novel and commercially viable biosensors. The different strategies can be classified according to various levels of selectivity and difficulty, ranging from random methods (e.g. adsorption) to more advanced techniques based on protein engineering used to facilitate directional immobilisation (e.g. bio-orthogonal chemistries and SpyTag/SpyCatcher).

Covalent binding

The immobilisation of bioreceptors by methods based on the formation of covalent bonds is among the most widely used. Due to the stable nature of the bonds formed between the biomolecule and support, the bioreceptor is not released into the solution upon use. However, in order to achieve high levels of bound protein activity, the active area of the biomolecule must not be compromised by the covalent linkage chemistry to the support. For instance, the amino acid residues essential for the catalytic activity or the recognition area of antibodies must not be hindered or blocked; this may prove a difficult requirement to fulfill in some cases. A wide variety of reactions have been developed depending on the functional groups available on the target. Despite the complexity of the biomolecule structure, only a small number of functional groups comprise selectable targets for practical bioconjugation methods. In fact, just five chemical targets account for the vast majority of chemical modification techniques:

• Primary amines (–NH2).
• Carboxygroups (–COOH).
• Thiols (–SH).
• Carbonyls (–CHO)
• Carbohydrates (sugars).

Covalent binding (Liebana S., et al., 2016)

Non-Covalent Interactions

Non-covalent interactions are widely used in bioconjugation due to their specificity and reversibility. The biotin-streptavidin system is one of the most popular non-covalent bioconjugation strategies. Biotinylated biomolecules bind with high affinity to streptavidin-coated surfaces, allowing for versatile and reversible attachment. This interaction is highly specific, providing robust and reliable attachment of biomolecules to the sensor surface. Another common method is antigen-antibody binding, which exploits the specific interaction between antigens and antibodies. This strategy allows for the targeted capture of specific molecules on the sensor surface, enhancing the selectivity and sensitivity of the biosensor.

Non-covalent interactions (Liebana S., et al., 2016)

Affinity Tags

Affinity tags provide a convenient and effective means of attaching biomolecules to sensor surfaces. Histidine tags (His-tags) are widely used for protein immobilization on surfaces with nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) coatings. The affinity between histidine residues and nickel ions allows for specific and strong binding, facilitating the stable attachment of proteins to the sensor surface. Protein A, G, and L are also commonly used for antibody attachment. These proteins have high affinity for certain immunoglobulin (Ig) subclasses, enabling the specific capture of antibodies on sensor surfaces, which is particularly useful in immunoassay-based biosensors.

Affinity tags (Liebana S., et al., 2016)

Click Chemistry

Click chemistry offers highly specific and efficient bioconjugation reactions. The azide-alkyne cycloaddition is a bioorthogonal reaction that enables the attachment of azide-labeled biomolecules to alkyne-functionalized surfaces. This reaction is highly specific, rapid, and efficient, making it ideal for bioconjugation. A variant of this method is the strain-promoted azide-alkyne cycloaddition (SPAAC), which does not require copper catalysts and is thus suitable for sensitive biological applications. Click chemistry reactions provide a robust and versatile means of bioconjugation, ensuring stable and specific attachment of biomolecules to sensor surfaces.

Electrostatic Interactions

Electrostatic interactions are another effective strategy for bioconjugation, especially in building multilayered structures on sensor surfaces. Layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly utilizes the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged molecules to create multilayered films on sensor surfaces. This method enhances the sensitivity and specificity of biosensors by providing a stable platform for further functionalization with biomolecules. The multilayered structures created by LbL assembly can be tailored to achieve the desired properties for specific applications, making this a versatile and powerful bioconjugation strategy.

Hydrophobic Interactions

Hydrophobic interactions can be effectively utilized for bioconjugation through the formation of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). Hydrophobic molecules spontaneously organize into monolayers on hydrophobic surfaces, providing a stable and well-ordered platform for further functionalization with biomolecules. SAMs are particularly useful for creating well-defined and controllable surfaces, enhancing the stability and performance of biosensors. This strategy allows for the precise arrangement of biomolecules on sensor surfaces, improving their functionality and sensitivity.

Enzymatic Conjugation

Enzymatic conjugation methods offer site-specific bioconjugation, enhancing the precision and efficiency of biosensor preparation. Transglutaminase-mediated conjugation utilizes the enzyme transglutaminase to catalyze the formation of covalent bonds between glutamine and lysine residues. This method allows for specific and stable attachment of biomolecules to sensor surfaces. Another enzymatic approach is sortase-mediated ligation, where sortase enzymes recognize specific peptide sequences and catalyze the attachment of biomolecules to sensor surfaces. Enzymatic conjugation provides high specificity and efficiency, making it a valuable strategy for biosensor development.

Enzymatic conjugation (Wang X., et al. 2014)

Photochemical Reactions

Photochemical reactions offer spatial and temporal control over bioconjugation, making them ideal for precise biosensor preparation. Photoreactive crosslinkers are molecules that can be activated by light to form covalent bonds with biomolecules. This allows for targeted and controlled attachment of biomolecules to sensor surfaces, enhancing the functionality and performance of the biosensors. Photochemical bioconjugation methods are particularly useful for creating complex and well-defined sensor architectures, enabling high precision and efficiency in biosensor applications.

Working Principle of Bioconjugation in Biosensors

The working principle of bioconjugation in biosensors involves several steps:

Selection of Biomolecules: The choice of biomolecule depends on the target analyte and the detection mechanism. For instance, antibodies are used for antigen detection, enzymes for substrate detection, and nucleic acids for sequence-specific detection.

Functionalization of Sensor Surfaces: Sensor surfaces or transducers such as electrodes or optical sensors are modified to introduce functional groups that can react with the biomolecules. Common surface functionalization methods include silanization, thiolation, and the use of cross-linkers.

Bioconjugation Process: The functionalized sensor surfaces are then conjugated with the biomolecules through various chemical reactions. For example, covalent bonding through amine-carboxyl, thiol-maleimide, or biotin-streptavidin interactions ensures stable attachment of the biomolecules to the sensor surface.

Detection Mechanism: Once the biomolecules are conjugated to the sensor surface, the biosensor can detect the presence of target analytes. The interaction between the target and the immobilized biomolecule generates a measurable signal, such as an electrical charge in an electrode or an optical signal in a photodetector.

Signal Transduction: The generated signal is then transduced into a readable output. This can involve amplification steps to increase sensitivity, signal processing to reduce noise, and calibration to ensure accurate quantification.

Advantages and Features of Bioconjugation in Biosensors

Bioconjugation offers several significant advantages for biosensors, including:

High Specificity and Selectivity: By coupling highly specific biomolecules like antibodies or aptamers to the sensor surface, biosensors can selectively detect target analytes even in the presence of complex matrices or interfering substances.

Enhanced Sensitivity: The strong binding affinity between the target analyte and the immobilized biomolecule leads to a significant change in the signal, improving the sensitivity of the biosensor. Techniques like signal amplification and the use of nanomaterials further enhance sensitivity.

Improved Stability: Bioconjugation techniques ensure stable and robust attachment of biomolecules to the sensor surface, maintaining the biosensor's functionality over time and under various conditions.

Versatility: Bioconjugation allows the integration of different types of biomolecules onto various sensor platforms, making it adaptable for a wide range of applications, including enzyme-based, antibody-based, and nucleic acid-based sensors.

Rapid Response: The efficient interaction between the target analyte and the immobilized biomolecule enables quick detection and real-time monitoring, which is crucial for applications requiring immediate results, such as point-of-care diagnostics.

Applications in Biosensors

The applications of bioconjugation in biosensors span numerous fields:

Environmental Monitoring: Biosensors utilizing bioconjugation can detect pollutants, toxins, and pathogens in water, air, and soil. For example, enzyme-based biosensors can measure pesticide levels, while antibody-based sensors can identify specific bacteria or viruses in environmental samples.

Clinical Diagnostics: Bioconjugated biosensors are extensively used in medical diagnostics for detecting biomarkers, pathogens, and genetic mutations. They enable early disease detection, monitoring of disease progression, and personalized medicine. For instance, glucose biosensors for diabetes management rely on enzyme-based detection of glucose levels in blood samples.

Food Safety: Ensuring the safety and quality of food products is another critical application of bioconjugated biosensors. These sensors can detect contaminants such as pathogens, toxins, and allergens in food samples, ensuring compliance with safety standards and protecting public health.

Pharmaceutical Development: In drug development, biosensors with bioconjugated elements are used to screen for drug candidates, study drug interactions, and monitor the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of therapeutic agents. This accelerates the drug discovery process and enhances the understanding of drug mechanisms.

Bioprocess Monitoring: Bioconjugated biosensors are employed in biotechnological processes to monitor the production of biomolecules, ensuring optimal conditions and maximizing yield. For example, biosensors can track the concentration of specific metabolites or the presence of contaminants in fermentation processes.