Assessment of bioavailability of heavy metals using lux modified constructs of Pseudomonas fluorescens

Paton, Graeme I.; Campbell, Colin D.; Glover, Lesley Anne; Killham, Ken

doi:10.1111/j.1472-765x.1995.tb00406.x

Cited by 98 publications

(92 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(19 reference statements)

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“…Stock solutions of copper, zinc and 3,5-dichlorophenol (3,5-DCP) were prepared as previously described (21,41). Fresh standard test solutions were prepared by diluting the stock solution with sterile deionized water.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Microorganisms are generally cheaper to culture than higher organisms, and they can be produced in large batches, subjected to stringent quality control procedures, and freeze dried for storage. They respond rapidly to toxic compounds and indicate the bioavailability of compounds in a way that chemical analysis cannot (21). Recent advances in genetic engineering have opened up new prospects in the field of microbial and cellular biosensors.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The genes encoding bioluminescence have been engineered into a range of microbes. Measurement of bioluminescence in response to exposure to samples can be used to assess the presence of a wide range of pollutants (21). Light itself is easy to measure in real time and lends itself well to automation, allowing the rapid processing of multiple samples.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A variety of whole-cell-based bioluminescent biosensors have been constructed which respond to a wide range of pollutants while simultaneously assessing bioavailability in environmental samples (12,16,21,22,23,41). However, existing biosensors show a poor response to herbicides, a key class of environmental pollutants (12).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent advances in genetic engineering have opened up new prospects in the field of microbial and cellular biosensors. An example is the use of the luciferase genes lux (from the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri) (21) and luc (from the firefly Photinus pyralis) (12). These genes have been selected because there is a correlation between light output and the metabolic activity of the cell, so bioluminescence is a very rapid indicator of cell health (13,21,38).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel Cyanobacterial Biosensor for Detection of Herbicides

Shao

Howe

Porter

et al. 2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

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The aim of this work was to generate a cyanobacterial biosensor that could be used to detect herbicides and other environmental pollutants. A representative freshwater cyanobacterium, Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803, was chromosomally marked with the luciferase gene luc (from the firefly Photinus pyralis) to create a novel bioluminescent cyanobacterial strain. Successful expression of the luc gene during growth of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 cultures was characterized by measuring optical density and bioluminescence. Bioluminescence was optimized with regard to uptake of the luciferase substrate, luciferin, and the physiology of the cyanobacterium. Bioassays demonstrated that a novel luminescent cyanobacterial biosensor has been developed which responded to a range of compounds including different herbicide types and other toxins. This biosensor is expected to provide new opportunities for the rapid screening of environmental samples or for the investigation of potential environmental damage.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

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confidence: 99%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Novel Cyanobacterial Biosensor for Detection of Herbicides

Shao

Howe

Porter

et al. 2002

Appl Environ Microbiol

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Bacterial biosensors for the toxicity assessment of solid wastes

Corbisier

Thiry

Diels

1996

Environ. Toxicol. Water Qual.

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Two metal-lux fusions were constructed in Alcaligenes eutrophus by transposon Tn4431 mutagenesis. The resulting strains, named AE1239 (pMOLSO::Tn4437) and AE1433 (pMOLSO::Tn4431, pMOL28), were respectively emitting light in the presence of copper ions and in the presence of zinc, cadmium, cobalt, and lead ions. Both strains were freeze dried and used as microbial bioluminescent sensors for the evaluation of incinerator fly-ashes (IFA) and soils contaminated by heavy metals. Two detection protocols (with or without direct contact between the bacterial sensors and the IFA) were used to test different batches of IFA that were either not treated or treated in order to be used as recycled material. The bacterial light production measured with a luminometer in the presence of increasing concentrations of IFA was compared with the IFA metal concentration measured by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometer. The same methodology was used to compare different soils samples from a sandy soil area severely contaminated by heavy metals. Both biosensors could successfully assess the bioavailability of heavy metals. This bioassay appeared to be very simple and rapid since no pretreatment of the samples was required. Those biosensors can either be used to predict the potential risk of the use of heavy metal-recycled materials in the environment or serve as a rapid screening tool for the efficacy of remediation practices used on contaminated soil 0

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