Protein-Support Interactions for Rationally Designed Bilirubin Oxidase Based Cathode: A Computational Study.

An example of biocathode based on bilirubin oxidase (BOx) was used to demonstrate how density functional theory can be combined with docking simulations in order to study the interface interactions between the enzyme and specifically designed electrode surface. The electrode surface was modified through the adsorption of bilirubin, the natural substrate for BOx, and the prepared electrode was electrochemically characterized using potentiostatic measurements. The experimentally determined current densities showed that the presence of bilirubin led to significant improvement of the cathode operation. On the basis of the computationally calculated binding energies of bilirubin to the graphene support and BOx and the analysis of the positioning of bilirubin relative to the support and T1 Cu atom of the enzyme, we hypothesize that the bilirubin serves as a geometric and electronic extension of the support. The computational results further confirm that the modification of the electrode surface with bilirubin provides an optimal orientation of BOx toward the support but also show that bilirubin facilitates the interfacial electron transfer by decreasing the distance between the electrode surface and the T1 Cu atom.

Role of Quinones in Electron Transfer of PQQ-Glucose Dehydrogenase Anodes­Mediation or Orientation Effect.

In this study, the influence of two quinones (1,2- and 1,4-benzoquinone) on the operation and mechanism of electron transfer in PQQ-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (PQQ-sGDH) anodes has been determined. Benzoquinones were experimentally explored as mediators present in the electrolyte. The electrochemical performance of the PQQ-sGDH anodes with and without the mediators was examined and for the first time molecular docking simulations were used to gain a fundamental understanding to explain the role of the mediator molecules in the design and operation of the enzymatic electrodes. It was proposed that the higher performance of the PQQ-sGDH anodes in the presence of 1,2- and 1,4-benzoquinones introduced in the solution is due to the shorter distance between these molecules and PQQ in the enzymatic molecule. It was also hypothesized that when 1,4-benzoquinone is adsorbed on a carbon support, it would play the dual role of a mediator and an orienting agent. At the same time, when 1,2-benzoquinone and ubiquinone are adsorbed on the electrode surface, the enzyme would transfer the electrons directly to the support, and these molecules would primarily play the role of an orienting agent.