Protein- and Peptide-Based Biosensors in Artificial Olfaction

• Published in: Trends in biotechnology (Regular ed.) Vol. 36; no. 12; pp. 1244 - 1258
• Main Authors: Barbosa, Arménio J.M., Oliveira, Ana Rita, Roque, Ana C.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-12-2018; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Acids; Alcohol; Ammonia; artificial olfaction; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Biosensing Techniques - trends; biosensor; Biosensors; E coli; Electronic Nose; Ethanol; Gold; Hydrocarbons; Nanoparticles; Odorant receptors; odorant-binding protein; Odorants - analysis; Odors; Olfaction; olfactory receptor; peptide; Peptides; Proteins; Receptors; Receptors, Odorant - metabolism; Selectivity; Sensors; Transistors; VOCs; Volatile organic compounds; Volatile organic compounds; odorant-binding protein; peptide; biosensor; olfactory receptor; artificial olfaction
• ISSN: 0167-7799; 1879-3096
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2018.07.004

Animals’ olfactory systems rely on proteins, olfactory receptors (ORs) and odorant-binding proteins (OBPs), as their native sensing units to detect odours. Recent advances demonstrate that these proteins can also be employed as molecular recognition units in gas-phase biosensors. In addition, the interactions between odorant molecules and ORs or OBPs are a source of inspiration for designing peptides with tunable odorant selectivity. We review recent progress in gas biosensors employing biological units (ORs, OBPs, and peptides) in light of future developments in artificial olfaction, emphasizing examples where biological components have been employed to detect gas-phase analytes.
Artificial olfaction is being implemented in key societal areas like early disease diagnostics, food safety hazards, air quality, and security.
Protein- and peptide-based VOC biosensors, coupled with cutting-edge transducers, increase the selectivity and sensitivity in detecting key VOCs with limits of detection in the order of ppb.
Gas-phase testing, rather than VOC solutions, is becoming the state of the art in biosensor validation.
Combinatorial techniques such as phage display and virtual screening are advancing the discovery of new VOC-binding peptides.
Progresses in biomolecule immobilization are steadily increasing the reusability and shelf-life of biosensors, while maintaining the desired selectivity.