DESIGN AND SYNTHESIS OF A PROTEIN DEVICE THAT RELEASES INSULIN IN RESPONSE TO GLUCOSE-CONCENTRATION

To synthesize a glucose-sensitive insulin-releasing protein device, insulin was esterified with methanol and connected to glucose oxidase with intervention of a disulfide compound, 5,5-dithiobis(2-nitrobenzoic acid). On adding glucose to an aqueous solution containing the hybrid enzyme, the modified insulin was released. The amount of insulin released increased with increasing concentration of added glucose. The insulin release from the hybrid-enzyme was specific to glucose. The activity of released insulin was about 80% of the unmodified insulin.