Enzyvitands: versatile evolvable colorimetric chembioreceptors

Designing the perfect sensor is the dream of any chemist. Since decades, a wide diversity of synthetic receptors targeting analytes has been explored in chemistry. Their chemical optimization is hard and with no guarantee of success. In this context, we propose a fast and self assembling colorimetric bio-chemical receptor coined Enzyvitand. It consists only of commercial chemicals. It relies on the reunification of combinatorial chemistry , first and second coordination spheres interactions and indicators displacement assays. All harbored within a protein cavity. The sensor is highly modular, cheap and evolvable. Thanks to its solved X-ray structure, we rationally designed it for the selectiv naked-eye recognition of dopamine over other neutrotransmitters through second coordination sphere. Hence, our sensor imitates a biological receptor for the recognition of neurotransmitters. Finally, it works in complex samples such as urine. Its immediate high versatility and evolvability is valuable for the selective detection of a wide assortment of analytes from small molecules up to micro-organisms. For the future, we anticipate new biotechnological or immunotherapeutic applications of our synthetic oligomer.