Detection of Olfactory Receptor I7 Self‐Assembled Multilayer Formation and Immobilization Using a Quartz Crystal Microbalance

Abstract

A self‐assembled multilayer based on a mixed MHDA‐Biotinyl PE self‐assembled monolayer followed by the addition of a biotin‐avidin system was built up on the gold electrode of a quartz crystal microbalance, which was used to monitor the deposition. With the view to producing an odorant sensing device, an olfactory receptor (OR), I7 OR, was immobilized on the self‐assembled multilayer. The I7 OR originates from a large group of proteins belonging to the I subfamily of G protein–coupled receptors that binds odorant ligands.

All formation steps were followed with the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation measurements (QCM‐D). Valuable information was obtained regarding the composition of each layer, providing evidence of the high dissipation effect of nanosomes adhesion. Also, based on the results, an explanation for multilayer formation and binding relations between components is proposed.

Keywords:

• G_olf
• olfactory receptor
• quartz crystal microbalance (QCM)
• biosensor
• self‐assembled multilayer

This work was financially supported by the SPOT‐NOSED Project (IST‐2001‐38739) and by the Spanish government MEC (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia) through the projects PCI 76/03‐04, HF2005‐0055, and TEC2005‐07996‐C02‐02.