Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) can indicate blood pressure that relates to human health such as the cardiovascular disease. However, current methods are not competent to detect the ACE activity in a rapid and straightforward way. Plasmonic biosensors built on the modulation of metallic nanomaterials have emerged as novel tools for the detection of biomarkers. In this work, we report a bio-inspired strategy for the plasmonic detection of ACE in a rapid, sensitive, and selective way through peptide-mediated assembly of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). In this biosensor, cysteine-angiotensin I-cysteine can assemble and aggregate AuNPs due to the Au–S bond. The presence of ACE can specifically catalyze the hydrolysis of angiotensin I, thus dissociating the cysteine-cysteine structure of the peptide that results in the disassembly and dispersion of AuNPs. This bio-inspired plasmonic nanosensor enables naked-eyed readout of ACE detection with great selectivity and high sensitivity with a LOD of 0.40 mU/mL. It also allows for the screening of ACE inhibitors and inhibitory peptides for the development of antihypertensive drugs or food. The biosensing technique developed in this work provides a new plasmonic approach that holds great promise as a point-of-care platform for biomedical diagnostics and the food industry.

血管紧张素转换酶 (ACE) 可以指示与人类健康有关的血压，例如心血管疾病。然而，目前的方法不能以快速和直接的方式检测 ACE 活动。建立在金属纳米材料调制基础上的等离子体生物传感器已成为检测生物标志物的新工具。在这项工作中，我们报告了一种仿生策略，通过肽介导的金纳米粒子 (AuNPs) 组装，以快速、灵敏和选择性的方式对 ACE 进行等离子体检测。在该生物传感器中，由于 Au-S 键，半胱氨酸-血管紧张素 I-半胱氨酸可以组装和聚合 AuNP。ACE的存在可以特异性催化血管紧张素I的水解，从而解离肽的半胱氨酸-半胱氨酸结构，导致 AuNP 的分解和分散。这种受生物启发的等离子体纳米传感器能够以 0.40 mU/mL 的 LOD 实现 ACE 检测的裸眼读出，具有很高的选择性和高灵敏度。它还允许筛选用于抗高血压药物或食品开发的 ACE 抑制剂和抑制肽。这项工作中开发的生物传感技术提供了一种新的等离子体方法，作为生物医学诊断和食品工业的即时护理平台具有广阔的前景。它还允许筛选用于抗高血压药物或食品开发的 ACE 抑制剂和抑制肽。这项工作中开发的生物传感技术提供了一种新的等离子体方法，作为生物医学诊断和食品工业的即时护理平台具有广阔的前景。它还允许筛选用于抗高血压药物或食品开发的 ACE 抑制剂和抑制肽。这项工作中开发的生物传感技术提供了一种新的等离子体方法，作为生物医学诊断和食品工业的即时护理平台具有广阔的前景。