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.