Biological phosphate ester sensing using an artificial enzyme PMP complex

Biological phosphate ester (phosphoric ester) substances, e.g. ATP, ADP, AMP, pyrophosphate and deoxyribonucleic acid, play important roles as either energy-carrying substances or substances carrying biological information. The author has designed and synthesized an artificial enzyme PMP complex (Cu) which dephosphorylates phosphate ester substances. The synthesized PMP complex (Cu) showed a prominent dephosphorylating effect on biological phosphate ester substances, e.g. ATP, ADP, AMP and pyrophosphate. A PMP complex (Cu)-coated electrode was employed as a sensor device. A current response could be obtained as a reaction to the application of phosphate ester substances on the sensor when a constant potential of −250 mV versus Ag/AgCl was applied. In the case of ATP, the sensor could determine the ATP concentration within the range between 1 nM and 20 mM, and could also determine the presence of other biological phosphate ester substances.