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Biotechnology and Applied Biochemistry (2000) 32, (9–14) (Printed in Great Britain)

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A bioelectrode for penicillin detection based on gluten-membrane-entrapped microbial cells

Hsin-Peng Chao and Wen-Chien Lee¹

Department of Chemical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, Chiayi, 621 Taiwan

Abbreviations used: CTAB, N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide; GdnHCl, guanidine hydrochloride.

¹ To whom correspondence should be addressed. (e-mail chmwcl@ccunix.ccu.edu.tw).

A bioelectrode for penicillin detection was established using gluten membrane in which cells of Escherichia coli harbouring the plasmid pUC18 coding for penicillinase synthesis were entrapped. For the entrapment preparation, lyophilized cells were mixed with gluten solution during the formation of gel, and the resultant gel was hardened by the addition of oxidized starch. The immobilization procedure employed an inexpensive base material and avoided the use of purified enzyme. When the membrane with a thickness of 30 µm and a cell content of 33% (w/w) was used, the steady response of the bioelectrode to increasing concentrations of penicillin G buffered with 0.025 M phosphate was linear over the range of 1–16 mM. The response time was less than 3 min. Decreasing the cell content decreased the steady response due to a decline in enzymic activity. The treatment of lyophilized cells with ultrasonication or chemically with either N-cetyl-N,N,N-trimethylammonium bromide or guanidine hydrochloride rendered cells permeabilized and exposed the periplasmic enzyme to penicillin. The response time became shorter, but a serious decline in steady responses was observed because of the loss of enzyme activity during the cell permeabilization. The microbial electrode also showed different responses to penicillin G solution, depending on the pH and buffer concentration.

Received 4 January 2000; accepted 22 March 2000

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