Coupling of an induced fit enzyme to polydiacetylene thin films: Colorimetric detection of glucose

A new biosensor design is demonstrated, in which a protein conformational change is used as a trigger mechanism for a low‐cost, solid‐state sensor (see also the cover). The figure illustrates the principle: an enzyme (hexokinase, large white shape) immobilized on a lipid polydiacetylene (PDA) layer undergoes a conformational change when glucose (dark shape) binds to it. The resulting stress in the PDA layer produces a color change. magnified image