초록
Adenosine deaminase (ADA) has been utilized as the label in devising a potentiometric homogeneous assay for riboflavin and riboflavin binding protein (RBP). The proposed homogeneous assay method employs an ADA-biotin conjugate as the signal generator and an avidin-riboflavin conjugate as the signal modulator in the solution phase. The catalytic activity of the ADA-biotin conjugate is inhibited in the presence of an excess amount of the avidin-riboflavin conjugate, and the observed inhibition is reversed in an amount proportional to the concentration of RBP added. When the analyte riboflavin is added to this mixture of ADA-biotin, avidin-riboflavin and RBP, the activity of the enzyme conjugate is re-inhibited in an amount proportional to the concentration of riboflavin. Since the enzyme label used in this system is ADA, an ammonia-producing enzyme, a potentiometric rather than photometric detection scheme is used to monitor the enzymatic activity in the assay.