Voltammetric evaluation of the binding between wheat germ agglutinin and thionine/glucose-modified magnetic microbeads.

The binding between glucose residues and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) on thionine/glucose-modified magnetic microbeads was evaluated using voltammetry. Thionine is an electroactive compound and has two amino groups. Thionine was immobilized to magnetic beads via cross-linking of the amino groups on the beads with an amino group on thionine. Glucose was bound to the other amino group of thionine via the formation of a Schiff base. The beads were only several micrometers in size the same size, as cells. WGA-binding to glucose on the bead surface blankets the thionine moiety. Thus, WGA-binding could be detected as a decrease in peak current of the thionine moiety.