A bombykol electrochemical receptor sensor and its kinetics

This study aimed to explore the interaction between bombykol and BmOR1 and also provide a paradigm for agroforestry pest control. The electrochemical biosensor signal amplification system was used: nanogold with horseradish peroxidase. An electrochemical bilayer nanogold membrane receptor sensor was developed using the following schemes and processes: twice self-assembly of nanogold and succeeding absorption of Bombyx mori olfactory receptor 1 (BmOR1); sex pheromone–binding protein; spectral scanning and transmission electron microscope to characterize nanogold sol; and atomic force microscope, cyclic voltammetry, and AC impedance methods to characterize individual processes of sensor assembly. The amperometric I–T curve was adopted to measure the response current upon interaction with different concentrations of bombykol (diluted in phosphate-buffered saline) and BmOR1. The results demonstrated the receptor–ligand interaction pattern, which was similar to enzymatic reaction kinetics, with the activation constant Ka of up to 8.57 × 10−20 mol/L and signal magnification of about 10,000-fold. In this study, the simulation of intracellular receptor signaling cascade by an electrochemical signal amplification system helped in directly measuring BmOR1–bombykol ligand interaction and exploring the kinetics after the self-assembly of BmOR1 on the biosensor. It provided a novel platform for future studies on receptor–ligand interaction.