Lux biosensors for antibiotic detection: The contribution from reactive oxygen species to the bactericidal activity of antibiotics

Abstract

Highly sensitive specific lux biosensors based on Escherichia coli bacteria have been designed for the detection of tetracycline, β lactam, and quinolone antibiotics. The bacteria contain pTetA'::lux, pAmpC'::lux, pColD'::lux hybrid plasmids in which the transcription of the luxCDABE reporter genes of Photorhabdus luminescens is performed under the control of the inducible promoter genes tetA, ampC, and cda, respectively. The basic characteristics of the lux biosensors (sensitivity threshold, response amplitude, and response time) have been determined. The contribution from reactive oxygen species to the bactericidal activity of quinolone antibiotics has been evaluated.

Optical Sensing Technologies to Elucidate the Interplay between Plant and Microbes

“…Lux biosensors are living bacteria cells that contain a hybrid plasmid with two basic elements, namely a regulatory region (promoter, operator) and a reporter gene [ 181 ]. The lux genes isolated from bacteria are used as reporter genes in these biosensors [ 182 ]. Lux biosensors are suitable for long-term monitoring of a variety of sugars, polyols, organic acids, amino acids, and flavonoids present in root exudates.…”