Simple and robust strategy for potentiometric detection of glucose using fluorinated phenylboronic acid self-assembled monolayer

Background: Field effect transistor (FET) based signal-transduction (Bio-FET) is an emerging technique for label-free and real-time basis biosensors for a wide range of targets. Glucose has constantly been of interest due to its clinical relevance. Use of glucose oxidase (GOD) and a lectin protein Concanavalin A are two common strategies to generate glucose-dependent electrochemical events. However, these protein-based materials are intolerant of long-term usage and storage due to their inevitable denaturing.

Methods: A phenylboronic acid (PBA) modified self-assembled monolayer (SAM) on a gold electrode with an optimized disassociation constant of PBA, that is, 3-fluoro-4-carbamoyl-PBA possessing its pKa of 7.1, was prepared and utilized as an extended gate electrode for Bio-FET.

Results: The prepared electrode showed a glucose-dependent change in the surface potential under physiological conditions, thus providing a remarkably simple rationale for the glyco-sensitive Bio-FET. Importantly, the PBA modified electrode showed tolerance to relatively severe heat and drying treatments; conditions under which protein based materials would surely be denatured.

Conclusions: A PBA modified SAM with optimized disassociation constant (pKa) can exhibit a glucose-dependent change in the surface potential under physiological conditions, providing a remarkably simple but robust method for the glyco-sensing.

General significance: This protein-free, totally synthetic glyco-sensing strategy may offer cheap, robust and easily accessible platform that may be useful in developing countries. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled Organic Bioelectronics-Novel Applications in Biomedicine.