Selective Enzymes at the Core
of Advanced Electroanalytical Tools:
The Bloom of Biosensors
Tiago Monteiro, Rosaceleste Zumpano, Célia M. Silveira,
and M. Gabriela Almeida
Abstract
Enzymes are biological catalysts whose mission is to accelerate biochemical
reactions in living organisms. Once extracted from cells they can be used in a
broad range of applications for the benefit of humankind. One of the best
examples is the so-called biosensor, i.e., a bioanalytical device where enzymes
play a key role in the selective recognition of the analyte. Either as point-of-care
tests, bench instruments, or continuous analysis systems, they have been useful
in clinical diagnostics, environmental and food control, forensic sciences, and
industrial processing, often replacing bulky and expensive equipment that
require trained operators. Enzymes are by far the most commonly used
biological elements in biosensors, being typically associated to electrochemical
transducers, as in the case of the biggest commercial success, the blood glucose
meter. In this context, redox enzymes are clearly dominant, since electrons
exchange during the biochemical reaction facilitates their interaction with
electrodes. However, hydrolases can also be used, provided that an electroactive
species participates in the reaction. In this review, we address the topic of
T. Monteiro Á C. M. Silveira Á M. Gabriela Almeida (&)
NOVA School of Science and Technology, UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Campus de Caparica,
Caparica, Portugal
e-mail: mg.almeida@fct.unl.pt
R. Zumpano
Department of Chemistry and Drug Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
C. M. Silveira
Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de
Lisboa, ITQB-NOVA, Oeiras, Portugal
M. Gabriela Almeida
Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Superior de Ciências
Da Saúde Egas Moniz, Campus Universitário, Caparica, Portugal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_11
303
of Advanced Electroanalytical Tools:
The Bloom of Biosensors
Tiago Monteiro, Rosaceleste Zumpano, Célia M. Silveira,
and M. Gabriela Almeida
Abstract
Enzymes are biological catalysts whose mission is to accelerate biochemical
reactions in living organisms. Once extracted from cells they can be used in a
broad range of applications for the benefit of humankind. One of the best
examples is the so-called biosensor, i.e., a bioanalytical device where enzymes
play a key role in the selective recognition of the analyte. Either as point-of-care
tests, bench instruments, or continuous analysis systems, they have been useful
in clinical diagnostics, environmental and food control, forensic sciences, and
industrial processing, often replacing bulky and expensive equipment that
require trained operators. Enzymes are by far the most commonly used
biological elements in biosensors, being typically associated to electrochemical
transducers, as in the case of the biggest commercial success, the blood glucose
meter. In this context, redox enzymes are clearly dominant, since electrons
exchange during the biochemical reaction facilitates their interaction with
electrodes. However, hydrolases can also be used, provided that an electroactive
species participates in the reaction. In this review, we address the topic of
T. Monteiro Á C. M. Silveira Á M. Gabriela Almeida (&)
NOVA School of Science and Technology, UCIBIO, REQUIMTE, Campus de Caparica,
Caparica, Portugal
e-mail: mg.almeida@fct.unl.pt
R. Zumpano
Department of Chemistry and Drug Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
C. M. Silveira
Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade NOVA de
Lisboa, ITQB-NOVA, Oeiras, Portugal
M. Gabriela Almeida
Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Superior de Ciências
Da Saúde Egas Moniz, Campus Universitário, Caparica, Portugal
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
J. J. G. Moura et al. (eds.), Enzymes for Solving Humankind's Problems,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-58315-6_11
303