New recognition elements in biosensing

Abstract

The borderline between molecular recognition element (MRE) tools that are biological in nature and synthetic (organic) receptor molecules is no longer well definable; these two classes of recognition elements are merging. This is especially true for enzyme models, polymers imprinted by biomolecules, ionophores (which mimic the function of channels), and (synthetic) oligonucleotides. In this paper, we introduce three new examples of modified recognition elements for biosensing: (i) bienzyme conjugates for quantification of inhibitors of choline esterase; (ii) recognition of L-adenosine by high-affinity oligonucleotides (aptamers); (iii) catalyzed conversion of alkanes by hydroperoxides in the presence of porphyrin complexes.