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Huang CW, Lin C, Nguyen MK, Hussain A, Bui XT, Ngo HH. A review of biosensor for environmental monitoring: principle, application, and corresponding achievement of sustainable development goals. Bioengineered 2023; 14:58-80. [PMID: 37377408 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2095089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Human health/socioeconomic development is closely correlated to environmental pollution, highlighting the need to monitor contaminants in the real environment with reliable devices such as biosensors. Recently, variety of biosensors gained high attention and employed as in-situ application, in real-time, and cost-effective analytical tools for healthy environment. For continuous environmental monitoring, it is necessary for portable, cost-effective, quick, and flexible biosensing devices. These benefits of the biosensor strategy are related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) established by the United Nations (UN), especially with reference to clean water and sources of energy. However, the relationship between SDGs and biosensor application for environmental monitoring is not well understood. In addition, some limitations and challenges might hinder the biosensor application on environmental monitoring. Herein, we reviewed the different types of biosensors, principle and applications, and their correlation with SDG 6, 12, 13, 14, and 15 as a reference for related authorities and administrators to consider. In this review, biosensors for different pollutants such as heavy metals and organics were documented. The present study highlights the application of biosensor for achieving SDGs. Current advantages and future research aspects are summarized in this paper.Abbreviations: ATP: Adenosine triphosphate; BOD: Biological oxygen demand; COD: Chemical oxygen demand; Cu-TCPP: Cu-porphyrin; DNA: Deoxyribonucleic acid; EDCs: Endocrine disrupting chemicals; EPA: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency; Fc-HPNs: Ferrocene (Fc)-based hollow polymeric nanospheres; Fe3O4@3D-GO: Fe3O4@three-dimensional graphene oxide; GC: Gas chromatography; GCE: Glassy carbon electrode; GFP: Green fluorescent protein; GHGs: Greenhouse gases; HPLC: High performance liquid chromatography; ICP-MS: Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry; ITO: Indium tin oxide; LAS: Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate; LIG: Laser-induced graphene; LOD: Limit of detection; ME: Magnetoelastic; MFC: Microbial fuel cell; MIP: Molecular imprinting polymers; MWCNT: Multi-walled carbon nanotube; MXC: Microbial electrochemical cell-based; NA: Nucleic acid; OBP: Odorant binding protein; OPs: Organophosphorus; PAHs: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; PBBs: Polybrominated biphenyls; PBDEs: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; PCBs: Polychlorinated biphenyls; PGE: Polycrystalline gold electrode; photoMFC: photosynthetic MFC; POPs: Persistent organic pollutants; rGO: Reduced graphene oxide; RNA: Ribonucleic acid; SDGs: Sustainable Development Goals; SERS: Surface enhancement Raman spectrum; SPGE: Screen-printed gold electrode; SPR: Surface plasmon resonance; SWCNTs: single-walled carbon nanotubes; TCPP: Tetrakis (4-carboxyphenyl) porphyrin; TIRF: Total internal reflection fluorescence; TIRF: Total internal reflection fluorescence; TOL: Toluene-catabolic; TPHs: Total petroleum hydrocarbons; UN: United Nations; VOCs: Volatile organic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chi-Wei Huang
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chitsan Lin
- Department of Marine Environmental Engineering, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Ph.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, College of Maritime, National Kaohsiung University of Science and TechnologyPh.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Minh Ky Nguyen
- Ph.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, College of Maritime, National Kaohsiung University of Science and TechnologyPh.D. Program in Maritime Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Adnan Hussain
- Ph. D. Program of Aquatic Science and Technology, College of Hydrosphere Science, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Xuan-Thanh Bui
- Department Water Science & Technology, Key Laboratory of Advanced Waste Treatment Technology, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh (VNU-HCM), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
- Department Water Science & Technology, Faculty of Environment & Natural Resources, Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology (HCMUT), Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Huu Hao Ngo
- Department Water Science & Technology, Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology, University of Technology Sydney, Sydney NSW, Australia
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Mijnendonckx K, Rogiers T, Giménez Del Rey FJ, Merroun ML, Williamson A, Ali MM, Charlier D, Leys N, Boon N, Van Houdt R. PrsQ 2, a small periplasmic protein involved in increased uranium resistance in the bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2023; 444:130410. [PMID: 36413896 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.130410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Uranium contamination is a widespread problem caused by natural and anthropogenic activities. Although microorganisms thrive in uranium-contaminated environments, little is known about the actual molecular mechanisms mediating uranium resistance. Here, we investigated the resistance mechanisms driving the adaptation of Cupriavidus metallidurans NA4 to toxic uranium concentrations. We selected a spontaneous mutant able to grow in the presence of 1 mM uranyl nitrate compared to 250 µM for the parental strain. The increased uranium resistance was acquired via the formation of periplasmic uranium-phosphate precipitates facilitated by the increased expression of a genus-specific small periplasmic protein, PrsQ2, regulated as non-cognate target of the CzcS2-CzcR2 two-component system. This study shows that bacteria can adapt to toxic uranium concentrations and explicates the complete genetic circuit behind the adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristel Mijnendonckx
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium.
| | - Tom Rogiers
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium.
| | - Francisco J Giménez Del Rey
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium; Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Mohamed L Merroun
- Campus Fuentenueva, Department of Microbiology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain.
| | - Adam Williamson
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, UGent, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Md Muntasir Ali
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium.
| | - Daniel Charlier
- Research Group of Microbiology, Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium.
| | - Nico Boon
- Center for Microbial Ecology and Technology, UGent, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, SCK CEN, Mol, Belgium.
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González-González RB, Flores-Contreras EA, González-González E, Torres Castillo NE, Parra-Saldívar R, Iqbal HMN. Biosensor Constructs for the Monitoring of Persistent Emerging Pollutants in Environmental Matrices. Ind Eng Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.iecr.2c00421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hafiz M. N. Iqbal
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
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Patyi G, Hódi B, Solymosi D, Vass I, Kós PB. Increased sensitivity of heavy metal bioreporters in transporter deficient Synechocystis PCC6803 mutants. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0261135. [PMID: 34914753 PMCID: PMC8675649 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 11/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The detection and identification of heavy metal contaminants are becoming increasingly important as environmental pollution causes an ever-increasing health hazard in the last decades. Bacterial heavy metal reporters, which constitute an environmentally friendly and cheap approach, offer great help in this process. Although their application has great potential in the detection of heavy metal contamination, their sensitivity still needs to be improved. In this study, we describe a simple molecular biology approach to improve the sensitivity of bacterial heavy metal biosensors. The constructs are luxAB marker genes regulated by the promoters of heavy metal exporter genes. We constructed a mutant strain lacking the cluster of genes responsible for heavy metal transport and hence achieved increased intracellular heavy metal content of the Synechocystis PCC6803 cyanobacterium. Taking advantage of this increased intracellular heavy metal concentration the Ni2+; Co2+ and Zn2+ detection limits of the constructs were three to tenfold decreased compared to the sensitivity of the same constructs in the wild-type cyanobacterium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gábor Patyi
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
- Faculty of Science and Informatics, Doctoral School in Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Barbara Hódi
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
- Faculty of Science and Informatics, Doctoral School in Biology, University of Szeged, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Dániel Solymosi
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Imre Vass
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Péter B. Kós
- Institute of Plant Biology, Biological Research Centre of the Eötvös Lóránd Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, Szeged University, Szeged, Hungary
- * E-mail:
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Mergeay M, Van Houdt R. Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34, a historical perspective on its discovery, characterization and metal resistance. FEMS Microbiol Ecol 2021; 97:6019867. [PMID: 33270823 DOI: 10.1093/femsec/fiaa247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cupriavidus metallidurans, and in particular type strain CH34, became a model bacterium to study bacterial resistance to metals. Although nowadays the routine use of a wide variety of omics and molecular techniques allow refining, deepening and expanding our knowledge on adaptation and resistance to metals, these were not available at the onset of C. metallidurans research starting from its isolation in 1976. This minireview describes the early research and legacy tools used to study its metal resistance determinants, characteristic megaplasmids, ecological niches and environmental applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Mergeay
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
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Wang X, Wei W, Zhao J. Using a Riboswitch Sensor to Detect Co 2+/Ni 2+ Transport in E. coli. Front Chem 2021; 9:631909. [PMID: 33659237 PMCID: PMC7917058 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.631909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Intracellular concentrations of essential mental ions must be tightly maintained to avoid metal deprivation and toxicity. However, their levels in cells are still difficult to monitor. In this report, the combination of a Co2+Ni2+-specific riboswitch and an engineered downstream mCherry fluorescent protein allowed a highly sensitive and selective whole-cell Co2+/Ni2+ detection process. The sensors were applied to examine the resistance system of Co2+/Ni2+ in E. coli, and the sensors were able to monitor the effects of genetic deletions. These results indicate that riboswitch-based sensors can be employed in the study of related cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China
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Del Valle I, Fulk EM, Kalvapalle P, Silberg JJ, Masiello CA, Stadler LB. Translating New Synthetic Biology Advances for Biosensing Into the Earth and Environmental Sciences. Front Microbiol 2021; 11:618373. [PMID: 33633695 PMCID: PMC7901896 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.618373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid diversification of synthetic biology tools holds promise in making some classically hard-to-solve environmental problems tractable. Here we review longstanding problems in the Earth and environmental sciences that could be addressed using engineered microbes as micron-scale sensors (biosensors). Biosensors can offer new perspectives on open questions, including understanding microbial behaviors in heterogeneous matrices like soils, sediments, and wastewater systems, tracking cryptic element cycling in the Earth system, and establishing the dynamics of microbe-microbe, microbe-plant, and microbe-material interactions. Before these new tools can reach their potential, however, a suite of biological parts and microbial chassis appropriate for environmental conditions must be developed by the synthetic biology community. This includes diversifying sensing modules to obtain information relevant to environmental questions, creating output signals that allow dynamic reporting from hard-to-image environmental materials, and tuning these sensors so that they reliably function long enough to be useful for environmental studies. Finally, ethical questions related to the use of synthetic biosensors in environmental applications are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilenne Del Valle
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Emily M. Fulk
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Prashant Kalvapalle
- Systems, Synthetic, and Physical Biology Graduate Program, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Jonathan J. Silberg
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Caroline A. Masiello
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Lauren B. Stadler
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rice University, Houston, TX, United States
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8
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Maertens L, Leys N, Matroule JY, Van Houdt R. The Transcriptomic Landscape of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 Acutely Exposed to Copper. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:E1049. [PMID: 32899882 PMCID: PMC7563307 DOI: 10.3390/genes11091049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Bacteria are increasingly used for biotechnological applications such as bioremediation, biorecovery, bioproduction, and biosensing. The development of strains suited for such applications requires a thorough understanding of their behavior, with a key role for their transcriptomic landscape. We present a thorough analysis of the transcriptome of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 cells acutely exposed to copper by tagRNA-sequencing. C. metallidurans CH34 is a model organism for metal resistance, and its potential as a biosensor and candidate for metal bioremediation has been demonstrated in multiple studies. Several metabolic pathways were impacted by Cu exposure, and a broad spectrum of metal resistance mechanisms, not limited to copper-specific clusters, was overexpressed. In addition, several gene clusters involved in the oxidative stress response and the cysteine-sulfur metabolism were induced. In total, 7500 transcription start sites (TSSs) were annotated and classified with respect to their location relative to coding sequences (CDSs). Predicted TSSs were used to re-annotate 182 CDSs. The TSSs of 2422 CDSs were detected, and consensus promotor logos were derived. Interestingly, many leaderless messenger RNAs (mRNAs) were found. In addition, many mRNAs were transcribed from multiple alternative TSSs. We observed pervasive intragenic TSSs both in sense and antisense to CDSs. Antisense transcripts were enriched near the 5' end of mRNAs, indicating a functional role in post-transcriptional regulation. In total, 578 TSSs were detected in intergenic regions, of which 35 were identified as putative small regulatory RNAs. Finally, we provide a detailed analysis of the main copper resistance clusters in CH34, which include many intragenic and antisense transcripts. These results clearly highlight the ubiquity of noncoding transcripts in the CH34 transcriptome, many of which are putatively involved in the regulation of metal resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Maertens
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (L.M.); (N.L.)
- Research Unit in Microorganisms Biology (URBM), Narilis Institute, University of Namur, 5000 Namur, Belgium;
| | - Natalie Leys
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (L.M.); (N.L.)
| | - Jean-Yves Matroule
- Research Unit in Microorganisms Biology (URBM), Narilis Institute, University of Namur, 5000 Namur, Belgium;
| | - Rob Van Houdt
- Microbiology Unit, Interdisciplinary Biosciences, Belgian Nuclear Research Centre (SCK CEN), 2400 Mol, Belgium; (L.M.); (N.L.)
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9
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Two plant-hosted whole-cell bacterial biosensors for detection of bioavailable Cr(VI). World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 35:129. [DOI: 10.1007/s11274-019-2703-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/26/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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10
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He W, Hu ZH, Yuan S, Zhong WH, Mei YZ, Dai CC. Bacterial Bioreporter-Based Mercury and Phenanthrene Assessment in Yangtze River Delta Soils of China. JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY 2018; 47:562-570. [PMID: 29864184 DOI: 10.2134/jeq2017.07.0286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Genetically engineered bacterial whole-cell bioreporters were deployed to investigate bioavailable mercury (b-Hg) and phenanthrene (b-PHE). Characterized by high sensitivity and specificity in aqueous solutions, the bioreporter system could detect in amended soils the concentrations of b-Hg and b-PHE in the ranges of 19.6 to 111.6 and 21.5 to 110.9 μg kg, respectively. The sensitivity of the system allowed for the combined analysis of b-Hg and b-PHE from real environmental samples. Therefore, soil samples from three large refinery facilities were tested, and the results from the instrumental analysis strongly correlated with the ones obtained with the bioreporter method. Large-scale and fast screening of soil contamination across the Yangtze River Delta in Eastern China was conducted. More than 36% of the samples contained b-Hg, whereas the fractions of b-PHE were below the detection limit for all the samples. These results indicated a higher toxicity and more hazardous condition for Hg contamination than for PHE. Population densities and airborne 10-μm particulate matter (PM10) concentrations were used as parameters for comparison with the spatial distribution of the b-Hg and b-PHE fractions. The results revealed that the bioreporters could offer a rapid and cost-efficient method to test soil samples from contaminated areas and provide a screening tool for environmental risk assessment.
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11
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Löfblom J, Rosenstein R, Nguyen MT, Ståhl S, Götz F. Staphylococcus carnosus: from starter culture to protein engineering platform. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2017; 101:8293-8307. [PMID: 28971248 PMCID: PMC5694512 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-017-8528-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 09/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Since the 1950s, Staphylococcus carnosus is used as a starter culture for sausage fermentation where it contributes to food safety, flavor, and a controlled fermentation process. The long experience with S. carnosus has shown that it is a harmless and "food grade" species. This was confirmed by the genome sequence of S. carnosus TM300 that lacks genes involved in pathogenicity. Since the development of a cloning system in TM300, numerous genes have been cloned, expressed, and characterized and in particular, virulence genes that could be functionally validated in this non-pathogenic strain. A secretion system was developed for production and secretion of industrially important proteins and later modified to also enable display of heterologous proteins on the surface. The display system has been employed for various purposes, such as development of live bacterial delivery vehicles as well as microbial biocatalysts or bioadsorbents for potential environmental or biosensor applications. Recently, this surface display system has been utilized for display of peptide and protein libraries for profiling of protease substrates and for generation of various affinity proteins, e.g., Affibody molecules and scFv antibodies. In addition, by display of fragmented antigen-encoding genes, the surface expression system has been successfully used for epitope mapping of antibodies. Reviews on specific applications of S. carnosus have been published earlier, but here we provide a more extensive overview, covering a broad range of areas from food fermentation to sophisticated methods for protein-based drug discovery, which are all based on S. carnosus.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Löfblom
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, Roslagstullsbacken 21, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Ralf Rosenstein
- Microbial Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine and Infection Medicine (IMIT), University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Minh-Thu Nguyen
- Microbial Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine and Infection Medicine (IMIT), University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Stefan Ståhl
- Division of Protein Technology, School of Biotechnology, KTH-Royal Institute of Technology, AlbaNova University Center, Roslagstullsbacken 21, 106 91, Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Friedrich Götz
- Microbial Genetics, Interfaculty Institute of Microbiology and Infection Medicine and Infection Medicine (IMIT), University of Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 28, 72076, Tübingen, Germany.
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12
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Synthetic biology for microbial heavy metal biosensors. Anal Bioanal Chem 2017; 410:1191-1203. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-017-0751-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2017] [Revised: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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13
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Alhadrami HA. Biosensors: Classifications, medical applications, and future prospective. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2017; 65:497-508. [DOI: 10.1002/bab.1621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2017] [Revised: 09/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Hani A. Alhadrami
- Faculty of Applied Medical SciencesDepartment of Medical Laboratory TechnologyKing Abdulaziz University Jeddah Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Special Infectious Agent UnitKing Fahd Medical Research CentreKing Abdulaziz University Jeddah Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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14
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Sharifian S, Homaei A, Hemmati R, Khajeh K. Light emission miracle in the sea and preeminent applications of bioluminescence in recent new biotechnology. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2017; 172:115-128. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2017.05.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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Cayron J, Prudent E, Escoffier C, Gueguen E, Mandrand-Berthelot MA, Pignol D, Garcia D, Rodrigue A. Pushing the limits of nickel detection to nanomolar range using a set of engineered bioluminescent Escherichia coli. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2017; 24:4-14. [PMID: 26498802 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-015-5580-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2015] [Accepted: 10/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The detection of nickel in water is of great importance due to its harmfulness for living organism. A way to detect Ni is the use of whole-cell biosensors. The aim of the present work was to build a light-emitting bacterial biosensor for the detection of Ni with high specificity and low detection limit properties. For that purpose, the regulatory circuit implemented relied on the RcnR Ni/Co metallo-regulator and its rcnA natural target promoter fused to the lux reporter genes. To convert RcnR to specifically detect Ni, several mutations were tested and the C35A retained. Deleting the Ni efflux pump rcnA and introducing genes encoding several Ni-uptake systems lowered the detection thresholds. When these constructs were assayed in several Escherichia coli strains, it appeared that the detection thresholds were highly variable. The TD2158 wild-type E. coli gave rise to a biosensor ten times more active and sensitive than its W3110 E. coli K12 equivalent. This biosensor was able to confidently detect Ni concentrations as little as 80 nM (4.7 μg l-1), which makes its use compatible with the norms governing the drinking water quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Cayron
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France
- INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France
- CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Elsa Prudent
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France
- INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France
- CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Camille Escoffier
- CEA, DSV, IBEB, Lab Bioenerget Cellulaire, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
- CNRS, UMR Biol Veget & Microbiol Environ, Aix-Marseille Université, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, 13108, France
| | - Erwan Gueguen
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France
- INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France
- CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - Marie-Andrée Mandrand-Berthelot
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France
- INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France
- CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France
| | - David Pignol
- CEA, DSV, IBEB, Lab Bioenerget Cellulaire, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
- CNRS, UMR Biol Veget & Microbiol Environ, Aix-Marseille Université, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, 13108, France
| | - Daniel Garcia
- CEA, DSV, IBEB, Lab Bioenerget Cellulaire, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France
- CNRS, UMR Biol Veget & Microbiol Environ, Aix-Marseille Université, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, 13108, France
| | - Agnès Rodrigue
- Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France.
- INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France.
- CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France.
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16
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Hassan SHA, Van Ginkel SW, Hussein MAM, Abskharon R, Oh SE. Toxicity assessment using different bioassays and microbial biosensors. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2016; 92-93:106-18. [PMID: 27071051 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Revised: 03/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/05/2016] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Toxicity assessment of water streams, wastewater, and contaminated sediments, is a very important part of environmental pollution monitoring. Evaluation of biological effects using a rapid, sensitive and cost effective method can indicate specific information on ecotoxicity assessment. Recently, different biological assays for toxicity assessment based on higher and lower organisms such as fish, invertebrates, plants and algal cells, and microbial bioassays have been used. This review focuses on microbial biosensors as an analytical device for environmental, food, and biomedical applications. Different techniques which are commonly used in microbial biosensing include amperometry, potentiometry, conductometry, voltammetry, microbial fuel cells, fluorescence, bioluminescence, and colorimetry. Examples of the use of different microbial biosensors in assessing a variety of environments are summarized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sedky H A Hassan
- Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, New Valley Branch, 72511 Al-Kharja, Egypt
| | - Steven W Van Ginkel
- School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA
| | | | - Romany Abskharon
- National Institute of Oceanography and Fisheries (NIFO), 11516 Cairo, Egypt
| | - Sang-Eun Oh
- Department of Biological Environment, Kangwon National University, 200-701 Chuncheon, Kangwon-do, South Korea.
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17
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Maillard AP, Künnemann S, Große C, Volbeda A, Schleuder G, Petit-Härtlein I, de Rosny E, Nies DH, Covès J. Response of CnrX from Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to nickel binding. Metallomics 2016; 7:622-31. [PMID: 25628016 DOI: 10.1039/c4mt00293h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Resistance to high concentration of nickel ions is mediated in Cupriavidus metallidurans by the CnrCBA transenvelope efflux complex. Expression of the cnrCBA genes is regulated by the transmembrane signal transduction complex CnrYXH. Together, the metal sensor CnrX and the transmembrane antisigma factor CnrY control the availability of the extracytoplasmic function sigma factor CnrH. Release of CnrH from sequestration by CnrY at the cytoplasmic side of the membrane depends essentially on the binding of the agonist metal ion Ni(ii) to the periplasmic metal sensor domain of CnrX. CnrH availability leads to transcription initiation at the promoters cnrYp and cnrCp and to the expression of the genes in the cnrYXHCBA nickel resistance determinant. The first steps of signal propagation by CnrX rely on subtle metal-dependent allosteric modifications. To study the nickel-mediated triggering process by CnrX, we have altered selected residues, F66, M123, and Y135, and explored the physiological consequences of these changes with respect to metal resistance, expression of a cnrCBA-lacZ reporter fusion and protein production. M123C- and Y135F-CnrXs have been further characterized in vitro by metal affinity measurements and crystallographic structure analysis. Atomic-resolution structures of metal-bound M123C- and Y135F-CnrXs showed that Ni(ii) binds two of the three canonical conformations identified and that Ni(ii) sensing likely proceeds by conformation selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antoine P Maillard
- Institut de Biologie Structurale, UMR 5075 CNRS-CEA-Université Grenoble-Alpes, 71, Avenue des Martyrs, 38044 Grenoble Cedex 9, France
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18
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Progress in the biosensing techniques for trace-level heavy metals. Biotechnol Adv 2016; 34:47-60. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2015.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Revised: 11/21/2015] [Accepted: 12/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
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19
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Application of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for combined chemosensing. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2015; 100:1109-1119. [PMID: 26615397 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-015-7160-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
The progress of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for chemosensing and monitoring has been developed in the last 20 years. Those biosensors respond to target chemicals and produce output signals, which offer a simple and alternative way of assessment approaches. As actual pollution caused by human activities usually contains a combination of different chemical substances, how to employ those biosensors to accurately detect real contaminant samples and evaluate biological effects of the combined chemicals has become a realistic object of environmental researches. In this review, we outlined different types of the recent method of genetically engineered microbial whole-cell biosensors for combined chemical evaluation, epitomized their detection performance, threshold, specificity, and application progress that have been achieved up to now. We also discussed the applicability and limitations of this biosensor technology and analyzed the optimum conditions for their environmental assessment in a combined way.
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20
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Durand MJ, Hua A, Jouanneau S, Cregut M, Thouand G. Detection of Metal and Organometallic Compounds with Bioluminescent Bacterial Bioassays. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2015:77-99. [PMID: 26475470 DOI: 10.1007/10_2015_332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/11/2023]
Abstract
Chemical detection of metal and organometallic compounds is very specific and sensitive, but these techniques are time consuming and expensive. Although these techniques provide information about the concentrations of compounds, they fail to inform us about the toxicity of a sample. Because the toxic effects of metals and organometallic compounds are influenced by a multitude of environmental factors, such as pH, the presence of chelating agents, speciation, and organic matter, bioassays have been developed for ecotoxicological studies. Among these bioassays, recombinant luminescent bacteria have been developed over the past 20 years, and many of them are specific for the detection of metals and metalloids. These bioassays are simple to use, are inexpensive, and provide information on the bioavailable fraction of metals and organometals. Thus, they are an essential complementary tool for providing information beyond chemical analysis. In this chapter, we propose to investigate the detection of metals and organometallic compounds with bioluminescent bacterial bioassays and the applications of these bioassays to environmental samples. Graphical Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- M J Durand
- University of Nantes, UMR CNRS GEPEA 6144, 18 Bd Gaston Defferre, 85000, La Roche sur Yon, France.
| | - A Hua
- University of Nantes, UMR CNRS GEPEA 6144, 18 Bd Gaston Defferre, 85000, La Roche sur Yon, France
| | - S Jouanneau
- University of Nantes, UMR CNRS GEPEA 6144, 18 Bd Gaston Defferre, 85000, La Roche sur Yon, France
| | - M Cregut
- Capacités SAS, 26 Bd Vincent Gâche, 44200, Nantes, France
| | - G Thouand
- University of Nantes, UMR CNRS GEPEA 6144, 18 Bd Gaston Defferre, 85000, La Roche sur Yon, France
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21
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Monsieurs P, Hobman J, Vandenbussche G, Mergeay M, Van Houdt R. Response of Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 to Metals. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20594-6_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
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22
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Coelho C, Branco R, Natal-da-Luz T, Sousa JP, Morais PV. Evaluation of bacterial biosensors to determine chromate bioavailability and to assess ecotoxicity of soils. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 128:62-69. [PMID: 25655820 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.12.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 12/08/2014] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Chromate can be considered a potent environmental contaminant and consequently, an understanding of chromate availability and toxicity to soil biology is essential for effective ecological assessment of metal impact in soils. This study shows the response of two bacterial bioreporters, pCHRGFP1 Escherichiacoli and pCHRGFP2 Ochrobactrumtritici, to increasing concentrations of chromate in two different soils. The bioreporters, carrying the regulatory gene chrB transcriptionally fused to the gfp reporter system, exhibited different features. In both, the fluorescence signal and the chromate concentration could be linearly correlated but E. coli biosensor functioned within the range of 0.5-2 μM and O. tritici biosensor within 2-10 μM chromate. The bioreporters were validated through comparative measurements using the chemical chromate methods of diphenylcarbazide and ionic chromatography. The bacterial sensors were used for the estimation of bioavailable fraction of chromate in a natural soil and OECD artificial soil, both spiked with chromate in increasing concentrations of 0-120 mg Cr(VI) kg(-1) of soil. OECD soil showed a faster chromate decrease comparing to the natural soil. The toxicity of soils amended with chromate was also evaluated by ecotoxicological tests through collembolan reproduction tests using Folsomia candida as test organism. Significant correlations were found between collembolans reproduction and chromate concentration in soil (lower at high chromate concentrations) measured by biosensors. Data obtained showed that the biosensors tested are sensitive to chromate presence in soil and may constitute a rapid and efficient method to measure chromate availability in soils.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - José Paulo Sousa
- IMAR-CMA, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, FCTUC, University of Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula V Morais
- IMAR-CMA, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal; Department of Life Sciences, FCTUC, University of Coimbra, 3001-401 Coimbra, Portugal.
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23
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Bereza-Malcolm LT, Mann G, Franks AE. Environmental sensing of heavy metals through whole cell microbial biosensors: a synthetic biology approach. ACS Synth Biol 2015; 4:535-46. [PMID: 25299321 DOI: 10.1021/sb500286r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Whole cell microbial biosensors are offering an alternative means for rapid, on-site heavy metal detection. Based in microorganisms, biosensing constructs are designed and constructed to produce both qualitative and quantitative outputs in response to heavy metal ions. Previous microbial biosensors designs are focused on single-input constructs; however, development of multiplexed systems is resulting in more flexible designs. The movement of microbial biosensors from laboratory based designs toward on-site, functioning heavy metal detectors has been hindered by the toxic nature of heavy metals, along with the lack of specificity of heavy metals promoter elements. Applying a synthetic biology approach with alternative microbial chassis may increase the robustness of microbial biosensors and mitigate these issues. Before full applications are achieved, further consideration has to be made regarding the risk and regulations of whole cell microbial biosensor use in the environment. To this end, a standard framework for future whole cell microbial biosensor design and use is proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gülay Mann
- Defence Science
and Technology Organisation, Fishermans Bend,
Port Melbourne, 3207 Victoria, Australia
| | - Ashley Edwin Franks
- Department
of Microbiology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, 3086 Victoria, Australia
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24
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Futra D, Heng LY, Surif S, Ahmad A, Ling TL. Microencapsulated Aliivibrio fischeri in alginate microspheres for monitoring heavy metal toxicity in environmental waters. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2014; 14:23248-68. [PMID: 25490588 PMCID: PMC4299061 DOI: 10.3390/s141223248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 11/13/2014] [Accepted: 11/24/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
In this article a luminescence fiber optic biosensor for the microdetection of heavy metal toxicity in waters based on the marine bacterium Aliivibrio fischeri (A. fischeri) encapsulated in alginate microspheres is described. Cu(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), Zn(II), Cr(VI), Co(II), Ni(II), Ag(I) and Fe(II) were selected as sample toxic heavy metal ions for evaluation of the performance of this toxicity microbiosensor. The loss of bioluminescence response from immobilized A. fischeri bacterial cells corresponds to changes in the toxicity levels. The inhibition of the luminescent biosensor response collected at excitation and emission wavelengths of 287 ± 2 nm and 487 ± 2 nm, respectively, was found to be reproducible and repeatable within the relative standard deviation (RSD) range of 2.4-5.7% (n = 8). The toxicity biosensor based on alginate micropsheres exhibited a lower limit of detection (LOD) for Cu(II) (6.40 μg/L), Cd(II) (1.56 μg/L), Pb(II) (47 μg/L), Ag(I) (18 μg/L) than Zn(II) (320 μg/L), Cr(VI) (1,000 μg/L), Co(II) (1700 μg/L), Ni(II) (2800 μg/L), and Fe(III) (3100 μg/L). Such LOD values are lower when compared with other previous reported whole cell toxicity biosensors using agar gel, agarose gel and cellulose membrane biomatrices used for the immobilization of bacterial cells. The A. fischeri bacteria microencapsulated in alginate biopolymer could maintain their metabolic activity for a prolonged period of up to six weeks without any noticeable changes in the bioluminescence response. The bioluminescent biosensor could also be used for the determination of antagonistic toxicity levels for toxicant mixtures. A comparison of the results obtained by atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and using the proposed luminescent A. fischeri-based biosensor suggests that the optical toxicity biosensor can be used for quantitative microdetermination of heavy metal toxicity in environmental water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dedi Futra
- School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
| | - Lee Yook Heng
- School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
| | - Salmijah Surif
- School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
| | - Asmat Ahmad
- School of Chemical Sciences and Food Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
| | - Tan Ling Ling
- Southeast Asia Disaster Prevention Research Initiative (SEADPRI-UKM), LESTARI, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor D.E., Malaysia.
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25
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Hynninen A, Virta M. Whole-cell bioreporters for the detection of bioavailable metals. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014; 118:31-63. [PMID: 19543702 DOI: 10.1007/10_2009_9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/21/2023]
Abstract
Whole-cell bioreporters are living microorganisms that produce a specific, quantifiable output in response to target chemicals. Typically, whole-cell bioreporters combine a sensor element for the substance of interest and a reporter element coding for an easily detectable protein. The sensor element is responsible for recognizing the presence of an analyte. In the case of metal bioreporters, the sensor element consists of a DNA promoter region for a metal-binding transcription factor fused to a promoterless reporter gene that encodes a signal-producing protein. In this review, we provide an overview of specific whole-cell bioreporters for heavy metals. Because the sensing of metals by bioreporter microorganisms is usually based on heavy metal resistance/homeostasis mechanisms, the basis of these mechanisms will also be discussed. The goal here is not to present a comprehensive summary of individual metal-specific bioreporters that have been constructed, but rather to express views on the theory and applications of metal-specific bioreporters and identify some directions for future research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Hynninen
- Department of Applied Chemistry and Microbiology, University of Helsinki, 56, 00014, Helsinki, Finland
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26
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Environmental applications of photoluminescence-based biosensors. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2014. [PMID: 19475374 DOI: 10.1007/10_2008_51] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register]
Abstract
For monitoring and treatment of soil and water, environmental scientists and engineers require measurements of the concentration of chemical contaminants. Although laboratory-based methods relying on gas or liquid chromatography can yield very accurate measurements, they are also complex, time consuming, expensive, and require sample pretreatment. Furthermore, they are not readily adapted for in situ measurements.Sensors are devices that can provide continuous, in situ measurements, ideally without the addition of reagents. A biosensor incorporates a biological component coupled to a transducer, which translates the interaction between the analyte and the biocomponent into a signal that can be processed and reported. A wide range of transducers have been employed in biosensors, the most common of which are electrochemical and optical. In this contribution, we focus on photoluminescence-based biosensors of potential use in the applications described above.Following a review of photoluminescence and a discussion of the optoelectronic hardware part of these biosensor systems, we provide explanations and examples of optical biosensors for specific chemical groups: hydrocarbons and alcohols, halogenated organics, nitro-, phospho-, sulfo-, and other substituted organics, and metals and other inorganics. We also describe approaches that have been taken to describe chemical mixtures as a whole (biological oxygen demand and toxicity) since most environmental samples contain mixtures of unknown (and changing) composition. Finally, we end with some thoughts on future research directions that are necessary to achieve the full potential of environmental biosensors.
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27
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Hou QH, Ma AZ, Lv D, Bai ZH, Zhuang XL, Zhuang GQ. The impacts of different long-term fertilization regimes on the bioavailability of arsenic in soil: integrating chemical approach with Escherichia coli arsRp::luc-based biosensor. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2014; 98:6137-46. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-014-5656-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2014] [Accepted: 03/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Tseng HW, Tsai YJ, Yen JH, Chen PH, Yeh YC. A fluorescence-based microbial sensor for the selective detection of gold. Chem Commun (Camb) 2014; 50:1735-7. [DOI: 10.1039/c3cc48028c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Xu T, Close DM, Sayler GS, Ripp S. Genetically modified whole-cell bioreporters for environmental assessment. ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS 2013; 28:125-141. [PMID: 26594130 PMCID: PMC4649933 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecolind.2012.01.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Living whole-cell bioreporters serve as environmental biosentinels that survey their ecosystems for harmful pollutants and chemical toxicants, and in the process act as human and other higher animal proxies to pre-alert for unfavorable, damaging, or toxic conditions. Endowed with bioluminescent, fluorescent, or colorimetric signaling elements, bioreporters can provide a fast, easily measured link to chemical contaminant presence, bioavailability, and toxicity relative to a living system. Though well tested in the confines of the laboratory, real-world applications of bioreporters are limited. In this review, we will consider bioreporter technologies that have evolved from the laboratory towards true environmental applications, and discuss their merits as well as crucial advancements that still require adoption for more widespread utilization. Although the vast majority of environmental monitoring strategies rely upon bioreporters constructed from bacteria, we will also examine environmental biosensing through the use of less conventional eukaryotic-based bioreporters, whose chemical signaling capacity facilitates a more human-relevant link to toxicity and health-related consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Xu
- The University of Tennessee Center for Environmental Biotechnology, 676 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Dan M. Close
- The Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PO Box 2008, MS6342 Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Gary S. Sayler
- The University of Tennessee Center for Environmental Biotechnology, 676 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
- The Joint Institute for Biological Sciences, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, PO Box 2008, MS6342 Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA
| | - Steven Ripp
- The University of Tennessee Center for Environmental Biotechnology, 676 Dabney Hall, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
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30
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Branco R, Cristóvão A, Morais PV. Highly sensitive, highly specific whole-cell bioreporters for the detection of chromate in environmental samples. PLoS One 2013; 8:e54005. [PMID: 23326558 PMCID: PMC3543429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0054005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2012] [Accepted: 12/07/2012] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Microbial bioreporters offer excellent potentialities for the detection of the bioavailable portion of pollutants in contaminated environments, which currently cannot be easily measured. This paper describes the construction and evaluation of two microbial bioreporters designed to detect the bioavailable chromate in contaminated water samples. The developed bioreporters are based on the expression of gfp under the control of the chr promoter and the chrB regulator gene of TnOtChr determinant from Ochrobactrum tritici 5bvl1. pCHRGFP1 Escherichia coli reporter proved to be specific and sensitive, with minimum detectable concentration of 100 nM chromate and did not react with other heavy metals or chemical compounds analysed. In order to have a bioreporter able to be used under different environmental toxics, O. tritici type strain was also engineered to fluoresce in the presence of micromolar levels of chromate and showed to be as specific as the first reporter. Their applicability on environmental samples (spiked Portuguese river water) was also demonstrated using either freshly grown or cryo-preserved cells, a treatment which constitutes an operational advantage. These reporter strains can provide on-demand usability in the field and in a near future may become a powerful tool in identification of chromate-contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Branco
- IMAR, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
- Escola Universitária Vasco da Gama, Mosteiro de S. Jorge de Milréu, Estrada da Conraria, Castelo Viegas – Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Armando Cristóvão
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, FCTUC, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Paula V. Morais
- IMAR, 3004-517 Coimbra, Portugal
- Department of Life Sciences, FCTUC, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
- * E-mail:
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31
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Strontium-induced genomic responses of Cupriavidus metallidurans and strontium bioprecipitation as strontium carbonate. ANN MICROBIOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s13213-012-0462-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
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32
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Genome data mining and soil survey for the novel group 5 [NiFe]-hydrogenase to explore the diversity and ecological importance of presumptive high-affinity H(2)-oxidizing bacteria. Appl Environ Microbiol 2011; 77:6027-35. [PMID: 21742924 DOI: 10.1128/aem.00673-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Streptomyces soil isolates exhibiting the unique ability to oxidize atmospheric H(2) possess genes specifying a putative high-affinity [NiFe]-hydrogenase. This study was undertaken to explore the taxonomic diversity and the ecological importance of this novel functional group. We propose to designate the genes encoding the small and large subunits of the putative high-affinity hydrogenase hhyS and hhyL, respectively. Genome data mining revealed that the hhyL gene is unevenly distributed in the phyla Actinobacteria, Proteobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Acidobacteria. The hhyL gene sequences comprised a phylogenetically distinct group, namely, the group 5 [NiFe]-hydrogenase genes. The presumptive high-affinity H(2)-oxidizing bacteria constituting group 5 were shown to possess a hydrogenase gene cluster, including the genes encoding auxiliary and structural components of the enzyme and four additional open reading frames (ORFs) of unknown function. A soil survey confirmed that both high-affinity H(2) oxidation activity and the hhyL gene are ubiquitous. A quantitative PCR assay revealed that soil contained 10(6) to 10(8) hhyL gene copies g (dry weight)(-1). Assuming one hhyL gene copy per genome, the abundance of presumptive high-affinity H(2)-oxidizing bacteria was higher than the maximal population size for which maintenance energy requirements would be fully supplied through the H(2) oxidation activity measured in soil. Our data indicate that the abundance of the hhyL gene should not be taken as a reliable proxy for the uptake of atmospheric H(2) by soil, because high-affinity H(2) oxidation is a facultatively mixotrophic metabolism, and microorganisms harboring a nonfunctional group 5 [NiFe]-hydrogenase may occur.
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Abstract
When attempting to assess the extent and the implications of environmental pollution, it is often essential to quantify not only the total concentration of the studied contaminant but also its bioavailable fraction: higher bioavailability, often correlated with increased mobility, signifies enhanced risk but may also facilitate bioremediation. Genetically engineered microorganisms, tailored to respond by a quantifiable signal to the presence of the target chemical(s), may serve as powerful tools for bioavailability assessment. This review summarizes the current knowledge on such microbial bioreporters designed to assay metal bioavailability. Numerous bacterial metal‐sensor strains have been developed over the past 15 years, displaying very high detection sensitivities for a broad spectrum of environmentally significant metal targets. These constructs are based on the use of a relatively small number of gene promoters as the sensing elements, and an even smaller selection of molecular reporter systems; they comprise a potentially useful panel of tools for simple and cost‐effective determination of the bioavailability of heavy metals in the environment, and for the quantification of the non‐bioavailable fraction of the pollutant. In spite of their inherent advantages, however, these tools have not yet been put to actual use in the evaluation of metal bioavailability in a real environmental remediation scheme. For this to happen, acceptance by regulatory authorities is essential, as is a standardization of assay conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagi Magrisso
- Institute of life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
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Shin HJ. Genetically engineered microbial biosensors for in situ monitoring of environmental pollution. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2010; 89:867-77. [DOI: 10.1007/s00253-010-2990-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2010] [Revised: 10/27/2010] [Accepted: 10/27/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Satyawali Y, Schols E, Van Roy S, Dejonghe W, Diels L, Vanbroekhoven K. Stability investigations of zinc and cobalt precipitates immobilized by in situ bioprecipitation (ISBP) process. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2010; 181:217-225. [PMID: 20537795 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2010.04.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2010] [Revised: 04/16/2010] [Accepted: 04/30/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
In situ bioprecipitation (ISBP), which involves immobilizing the metals as precipitates (mainly sulphides) in the solid phase, is an effective method of metal removal from contaminated groundwater. This study investigated the stability of metal precipitates formed after ISBP in two different solid-liquid matrices (artificial and natural). The artificial matrix consisted of sand, Zn (200 mg L(-1)), artificial groundwater and a carbon source (electron donor). Here the stability of the Zn precipitates was evaluated by manipulation of redox and pH. The natural system matrices included aquifer material and groundwater samples collected from three different metal (Zn and Co) contaminated sites and different carbon sources were provided as electron donors. In the natural matrices, metal precipitates stability was assessed by changing aquifer redox conditions, sequential extraction, and BIOMET assay. The results indicated that, in the artificial matrix, redox manipulation did not impact the Zn precipitates. However the sequential pH change proved detrimental, releasing 58% of the precipitated Zn back into liquid phase. In natural matrices, the applied carbon source largely affected the stability of metal precipitates. Elemental analysis performed on the precipitates formed in natural matrix showed that the main elements of the precipitates were sulphur with Zn and Co.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yamini Satyawali
- Separation and Conversion Technology, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Mol, Belgium
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Peltier E, Lelie DVD, Sparks DL. Formation and stability of Ni-Al hydroxide phases in soils. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2010; 44:302-8. [PMID: 19928986 DOI: 10.1021/es902332b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The formation of mixed metal-aluminum hydroxide surface precipitates is a potentially significant uptake route for trace metals (including Co, Ni, and Zn) in environmental systems. This paper investigates the effect of mixed Ni-Al hydroxide precipitate formation and aging on Ni solubility and bioavailability in laboratory contaminated soils. Two Delaware agricultural soils were reacted with a 3 mM Ni solution for 12 months at pH's above and below the threshold for mixed Ni-Al hydroxide formation. Ni speciation was determined at 1, 6, and 12 months using X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Precipitate solubility was examined through desorption experiments using HNO3 and EDTA as desorbing agents, whereas metal bioavailability was assessed using a Ni-specific bacterial biosensor. For both soils, the formation of Ni-Al hydroxide surface precipitates resulted in a reduction in the fraction of desorbed and bioavailable Ni. However, precipitate dissolution was greater, particularly with EDTA, than in published studies on isolated soil clay fractions, and less affected by aging processes. These results suggest that mixed Ni-Al hydroxide phases forming in real world environments may be both longer-lasting and more susceptible to ligand-promoted dissolution than previously expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Peltier
- Environmental Soil Chemistry Research Group, Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA.
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Diels L, Van Roy S, Taghavi S, Van Houdt R. From industrial sites to environmental applications with Cupriavidus metallidurans. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2009; 96:247-58. [DOI: 10.1007/s10482-009-9361-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2009] [Accepted: 06/17/2009] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Ivask A, Rõlova T, Kahru A. A suite of recombinant luminescent bacterial strains for the quantification of bioavailable heavy metals and toxicity testing. BMC Biotechnol 2009; 9:41. [PMID: 19426479 PMCID: PMC2685376 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6750-9-41] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2008] [Accepted: 05/08/2009] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Recombinant whole-cell sensors have already proven useful in the assessment of the bioavailability of environmental pollutants like heavy metals and organic compounds. In this work 19 recombinant bacterial strains representing various Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas fluorescens) bacteria were constructed to express the luminescence encoding genes luxCDABE (from Photorhabdus luminescens) as a response to bioavailable heavy metals ("lights-on" metal sensors containing metal-response elements, 13 strains) or in a constitutive manner ("lights-off" constructs, 6 strains). Results The bioluminescence of all 13 "lights-on" metal sensor strains was expressed as a function of the sub-toxic metal concentrations enabling the quantitative determination of metals bioavailable for these strains. Five sensor strains, constructed for detecting copper and mercury, proved to be target metal specific, whereas eight other sensor strains were simultaneously induced by Cd2+, Hg2+, Zn2+and Pb2+. The lowest limits of determination of the "lights-on" sensor strains for the metals tested in this study were (μg l-1): 0.002 of CH3HgCl, 0.03 of HgCl2, 1.8 of CdCl2, 33 of Pb(NO3)2, 1626 of ZnSO4, 24 of CuSO4 and 340 of AgNO3. In general, the sensitivity of the "lights-on" sensor strains was mostly dependent on the metal-response element used while the selection of host bacterium played a relatively minor role. In contrast, toxicity of metals to the "lights-off" strains was only dependent on the bacterial host so that Gram-positive strains were remarkably more sensitive than Gram-negative ones. Conclusion The constructed battery of 19 recombinant luminescent bacterial strains exhibits several novel aspects as it contains i) metal sensor strains with similar metal-response elements in different host bacteria; ii) metal sensor strains with metal-response elements in different copies and iii) a "lights-off" construct (control) for every constructed recombinant metal sensor strain. To our knowledge, no Gram-positive metal sensor expressing a full bacterial bioluminescence cassette (luxCDABE) has been constructed previously.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Ivask
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn, Estonia.
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Zhang YB, Monchy S, Greenberg B, Mergeay M, Gang O, Taghavi S, van der Lelie D. ArsR arsenic-resistance regulatory protein from Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2009; 96:161-70. [PMID: 19238575 DOI: 10.1007/s10482-009-9313-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2009] [Accepted: 02/01/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Cupriavidus metallidurans CH34 arsR gene, which is part of the arsRIC(2)BC(1)HP operon, and its putative arsenic-resistance regulatory protein were identified and characterized. The arsenic-induced transcriptome of C. metallidurans CH34 showed that the genes most upregulated in the presence of arsenate were all located within the ars operon, with none of the other numerous heavy metal resistance systems present in CH34 being induced. A transcriptional fusion between the luxCDABE operon and the arsR promoter/operator (P/O) region was used to confirm the in vivo induction of the ars operon by arsenite and arsenate. The arsR gene was cloned into expression vectors allowing for the overexpression of the ArsR protein as either his-tagged or untagged protein. The ability of the purified ArsR proteins to bind to the ars P/O region was analyzed in vitro by gel mobility shift assays. ArsR showed an affinity almost exclusively to its own ars P/O region. Dissociation of ArsR and its P/O region was metal dependent, and based on decreasing degrees of dissociation three groups of heavy metals could be distinguished: As(III), Bi(III), Co(II), Cu(II), Ni(II); Cd(II); Pb(II) and Zn(II), while no dissociation was observed in the presence of As(V).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yian-Biao Zhang
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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Weber W, Luzi S, Karlsson M, Fussenegger M. A novel hybrid dual-channel catalytic-biological sensor system for assessment of fruit quality. J Biotechnol 2009; 139:314-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2009.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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Thomas DJL, Tyrrel SF, Smith R, Farrow S. Bioassays for the evaluation of landfill leachate toxicity. JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART B, CRITICAL REVIEWS 2009; 12:83-105. [PMID: 19117211 DOI: 10.1080/10937400802545292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
This article reviews the application of bioassays for assessing the toxicity hazard posed by landfill leachate discharged to an aquatic environment. Landfill leachate is a complex mixture of chemicals; thus it is difficult to assess the risk posed to aquatic wildlife using standard chemical identification techniques, such as gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). From this review it is clear that toxicity testing, using species that represent the different trophic levels, is a superior way to predict the risk posed by discharge than chemical analysis. Previous studies assessed leachate toxicity using bacteria, algae, plants, invertebrates, fish, and genotoxicity. Studies showed that leachate exhibits a wide range of toxicities to the species tested. Ammonia, alkalinity, heavy metals, and recalcitrant organics were identified to be the cause of adverse responses from the test organisms. Concentrations of these chemicals were found to depend upon the types of waste landfilled. As part of this review, Slooff analysis was applied to published results to calculate the sensitivity of test species. It was concluded that Lemna minor and Thamnocephalus platyurus were the most sensitive tests and, Vibrio fischeri (Microtox) was the least sensitive test available. Little is known about the sensitivity of each species to the different types of waste that might have been landfilled. A battery of tests needed for a more accurate assessment of landfill leachate is proposed. Some of the more common tests have been replaced by more sensitive tests that produce more relevant results for the industry and regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- David John Lawrence Thomas
- Sustainable Systems Department, Centre for Resource Management and Efficiency, School of Applied Sciences, Cranfield University, Cranfield, United Kingdom
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Camps Arbestain M, Madinabeitia Z, Anza Hortalà M, Macías-García F, Virgel S, Macías F. Extractability and leachability of heavy metals in Technosols prepared from mixtures of unconsolidated wastes. WASTE MANAGEMENT (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2008; 28:2653-2666. [PMID: 18329263 DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2008.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2007] [Revised: 09/12/2007] [Accepted: 01/14/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Mixtures of wastes were prepared to improve on the characteristics of the individual ingredients as Technosols, with special attention given to heavy metal extractability. An anaerobic digested sewage sludge and a CaO-treated aerobic sludge were used. A mixture of the two sludges (50:50 DW basis) was also prepared to provide a third type of sludge. The residues were mixed with other types of waste, such as fly ash, Linz-Donowitz slag, foundry sand, shot blasting machine scrap, fettling and barley straw. Extractability of Cu, Cr, Ni, and Zn by 0.01 M CaCl(2) extraction (Me(CACI(2)) was carried out, and leachability of these elements was estimated by acidification of an aqueous suspension of the mixtures with 0.5 N acetic acid (Me(acetic)). The total concentrations of the metals were also determined (Me(T)). The Me(CACI(2)/Me(T) ratios for Cu and Ni (means: 4.0% and 3.1%) were higher than those for Cr and Zn (means: 0.07% each). The mean Me(acetic)/Me(T) ratios followed the order Ni, Zn, Cu, and Cr (19.5%, 4.1%, 3.7%, and 0.09%, respectively). The results highlight the existence of complex interactions among organic matter solubility, pH and heavy metal extractability.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Camps Arbestain
- NEIKER, Agroecosistemas y Recursos Naturales, Berreaga 1, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain.
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Bondarenko O, Rõlova T, Kahru A, Ivask A. Bioavailability of Cd, Zn and Hg in Soil to Nine Recombinant Luminescent Metal Sensor Bacteria. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2008; 8:6899-6923. [PMID: 27873907 PMCID: PMC3787422 DOI: 10.3390/s8116899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2008] [Revised: 10/08/2008] [Accepted: 10/31/2008] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A set of nine recombinant heavy metal-specific luminescent bacterial sensors belonging to Gram-negative (Escherichia and Pseudomonas) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus and Bacillus) genera and containing various types of recombinant metalresponse genetic elements was characterized for heavy metal bioavailability studies. All nine strains were induced by Hg and Cd and five strains also by Zn. As a lowest limit, the sensors were detecting 0.03 μg·L-1 of Hg, 2 μg·L-1 of Cd and 400 μg·L-1 of Zn. Limit of determination of the sensors depended mostly on metal-response element, whereas the toxicity of those metals towards the sensor bacteria was mostly dependent on the type of the host bacterium, with Gram-positive strains being more sensitive than Gram-negative ones. The set of sensors was used to evaluate bioavailability of Hg, Cd and Zn in spiked soils. The bioavailable fraction of Cd and Zn in soil suspension assay (2.6 - 5.1% and 0.32 - 0.61%, of the total Cd and Zn, respectively) was almost comparable for all the sensors, whereas the bioavailability of Hg was about 10-fold higher for Gram-negative sensor cells (30.5% of total Hg), compared to Gram-positive ones (3.2% of the total Hg). For Zn, the bioavailable fraction in soil-water suspensions and respective extracts was comparable (0.37 versus 0.33% of the total Zn). However, in the case of Cd, for all the sensors used and for Hg concerning only Gram-negative sensor strains, the bioavailable fraction in soilwater suspensions exceeded the water-extracted fraction about 14-fold, indicating that upon direct contact, an additional fraction of Cd and Hg was mobilized by those sensor bacteria. Thus, for robust bioavailability studies of heavy metals in soils any type of genetic metal-response elements could be used for the construction of the sensor strains. However, Gram-positive and Gram-negative senor strains should be used in parallel as the bioavailability of heavy metals to those bacterial groups may be different.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olesja Bondarenko
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Taisia Rõlova
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Anne Kahru
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
| | - Angela Ivask
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618, Tallinn, Estonia.
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Moreels D, Crosson G, Garafola C, Monteleone D, Taghavi S, Fitts JP, van der Lelie D. Microbial community dynamics in uranium contaminated subsurface sediments under biostimulated conditions with high nitrate and nickel pressure. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2008; 15:481-491. [PMID: 18712423 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-008-0034-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2008] [Accepted: 08/06/2008] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND, AIM, AND SCOPE The subsurface at the Oak Ridge Field Research Center represents an extreme and diverse geochemical environment that places different stresses on the endogenous microbial communities, including low pH, elevated nitrate concentrations, and the occurrence of heavy metals and radionuclides, including hexavalent uranium [U(VI)]. The in situ immobilization of U(VI) in the aquifer can be achieved through microbial reduction to relatively insoluble U(IV). However, a high redox potential due to the presence of nitrate and the toxicity of heavy metals will impede this process. Our aim is to test biostimulation of the endogenous microbial communities to improve nitrate reduction and subsequent U(VI) reduction under conditions of elevated heavy metals. MATERIALS AND METHODS Column experiments were used to test the possibility of using biostimulation via the addition of ethanol as a carbon source to improve nitrate reduction in the presence of elevated aqueous nickel. We subsequently analyzed the composition of the microbial communities that became established and their potential for U(VI) reduction and its in situ immobilization. RESULTS Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the microbial population changed from heavy metal sensitive members of the actinobacteria, alpha- and gamma-proteobacteria to a community dominated by heavy metal resistant (nickel, cadmium, zinc, and cobalt resistant), nitrate reducing beta- and gamma-proteobacteria, and sulfate reducing Clostridiaceae. Coincidentally, synchrotron X-ray absorption spectroscopy analyses indicated that the resulting redox conditions favored U(VI) reduction transformation to insoluble U(IV) species associated with soil minerals and biomass. DISCUSSION This study shows that the necessary genetic information to adapt to the implemented nickel stress resides in the endogenous microbial population present at the Oak Ridge FRC site, which changed from a community generally found under oligotrophic conditions to a community able to withstand the stress imposed by heavy metals, while efficiently reducing nitrate as electron donor. Once nitrate was reduced efficient reduction and in situ immobilization of uranium was observed. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that stimulating the metabolism of the endogenous bacterial population at the Oak Ridge FRC site by adding ethanol, a suitable carbon source, results in efficient nitrate reduction under conditions of elevated nickel, and a decrease of the redox potential such that sulfate and iron reducing bacteria are able to thrive and create conditions favorable for the reduction and in situ immobilization of uranium. Since we have found that the remediation potential resides within the endogenous microbial community, we believe it will be feasible to conduct field tests. RECOMMENDATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES Biostimulation of endogenous bacteria provides an efficient tool for the successful in situ remediation of mixed-waste sites, particularly those co-contaminated with heavy metals, nitrate and radionuclides, as found in the United States and other countries as environmental legacies of the nuclear age.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Moreels
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Bldg. 463, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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Kahru A, Dubourguier HC, Blinova I, Ivask A, Kasemets K. Biotests and Biosensors for Ecotoxicology of Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: A Minireview. SENSORS 2008; 8:5153-5170. [PMID: 27873807 PMCID: PMC3705494 DOI: 10.3390/s8085153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2008] [Revised: 08/25/2008] [Accepted: 08/26/2008] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Nanotechnologies have become a significant priority worldwide. Several manufactured nanoparticles - particles with one dimension less than 100 nm - are increasingly used in consumer products. At nanosize range, the properties of materials differ substantially from bulk materials of the same composition, mostly due to the increased specific surface area and reactivity, which may lead to increased bioavailability and toxicity. Thus, for the assessment of sustainability of nanotechnologies, hazards of manufactured nanoparticles have to be studied. Despite all the above mentioned, the data on the potential environmental effects of nanoparticles are rare. This mini-review is summarizing the emerging information on different aspects of ecotoxicological hazard of metal oxide nanoparticles, focusing on TiO2, ZnO and CuO. Various biotests that have been successfully used for evaluation of ecotoxic properties of pollutants to invertebrates, algae and bacteria and now increasingly applied for evaluation of hazard of nanoparticles at different levels of the aquatic food-web are discussed. Knowing the benefits and potential drawbacks of these systems, a suite of tests for evaluation of environmental hazard of nanoparticles is proposed. Special attention is paid to the influence of particle solubility and to recombinant metal-sensing bacteria as powerful tools for quantification of metal bioavailability. Using recombinant metal-specific bacterial biosensors and multitrophic ecotoxicity assays in tandem will create new scientific knowledge on the respective role of ionic species and of particles in toxicity of metal oxide nanoparticles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kahru
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia.
| | - Henri-Charles Dubourguier
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
- Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 5, Tartu 51014, Estonia
| | - Irina Blinova
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Angela Ivask
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
| | - Kaja Kasemets
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Akadeemia tee 23, Tallinn 12618, Estonia
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Wanekaya AK, Chen W, Mulchandani A. Recent biosensing developments in environmental security. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008; 10:703-12. [PMID: 18528536 DOI: 10.1039/b806830p] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Environmental security is one of the fundamental requirements of our well being. However, it still remains a major global challenge. Therefore, in addition to reducing and/or eliminating the amounts of toxic discharges into the environment, there is need to develop techniques that can detect and monitor these environmental pollutants in a sensitive and selective manner to enable effective remediation. Because of their integrated nature, biosensors are ideal for environmental monitoring and detection as they can be portable and provide selective and sensitive rapid responses in real time. In this review we discuss the main concepts behind the development of biosensors that have most relevant applications in the field of environmental monitoring and detection. We also review and document recent trends and challenges in biosensor research and development particularly in the detection of species of environmental significance such as organophosphate nerve agents, heavy metals, organic contaminants, pathogenic microorganisms and their toxins. Special focus will be given to the trends that have the most promising applications in environmental security. We conclude by highlighting the directions towards which future biosensors research in environmental security sector might proceed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam K Wanekaya
- Chemistry Department, Missouri State University, Springfield, MO 65897, USA.
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Yagi K. Applications of whole-cell bacterial sensors in biotechnology and environmental science. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2007; 73:1251-8. [PMID: 17111136 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-006-0718-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 127] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2006] [Revised: 09/30/2006] [Accepted: 10/12/2006] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Biosensors have major advantages over chemical or physical analyses with regard to specificity, sensitivity, and portability. Recently, many types of whole-cell bacterial biosensors have been developed using recombinant DNA technology. The bacteria are genetically engineered to respond to the presence of chemicals or physiological stresses by synthesizing a reporter protein, such as luciferase, beta-galactosidase, or green fluorescent protein. In addition to an overview of conventional biosensors, this minireview discusses a novel type of biosensor using a photosynthetic bacterium as the sensor strain and the crtA gene, which is responsible for carotenoid synthesis, as the reporter. Since bacteria possess a wide variety of stress-response mechanisms, including antioxidation, heat-shock responses, nutrient-starvation, and membrane-damage responses, DNA response elements for several stress-response proteins can be fused with various reporter genes to construct a versatile set of bacterial biosensors for a variety of analytes. Portable biosensors for on-site monitoring have been developed using a freeze-dried biosensing strain, and cell array biosensors have been designed for high-throughput analysis. Moreover, in the future, the use of single-cell biosensors will permit detailed analyses of samples. Signals from such sensors could be detected with digital imaging, epifluorescence microscopy, and/or flow cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiyohito Yagi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Osaka University, 1-6 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
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Leedjärv A, Ivask A, Virta M, Kahru A. Analysis of bioavailable phenols from natural samples by recombinant luminescent bacterial sensors. CHEMOSPHERE 2006; 64:1910-9. [PMID: 16581105 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2006.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2005] [Revised: 01/09/2006] [Accepted: 01/11/2006] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
A whole-cell recombinant bacterial sensor for the detection of phenolic compounds was constructed and used for the analysis of bioavailable phenols in natural samples. The sensor Pseudomonas fluorescens OS8(pDNdmpRlux) contains luxCDABE operon as a reporter under the control of phenol-inducible Po promoter from Pseudomonas sp. CF600. Expression of lux genes from the Po promoter, and thus the production of bioluminescence is controlled by the transcriptional activator DmpR, which initiates transcription in the presence of phenolic compounds. To take into account possible quenching (turbidity, toxicity) and/or stimulating effects of the environmental samples on the bacterial luminescence, control bacteria comparable to the sensors but lacking the phenol recognising elements were constructed and used in parallel in assays. The sensor bacteria were inducible with phenol, methylphenols, 2,3-, 2,4-, 2,6- and 3,4-dimethylphenol, resorcinol and 5-methylresorcinol but not with 2,5-dimethylresorcinol. The detection limits for different phenols varied from 0.03 mg/l (2-methylphenol) to 42.7 mg/l (5-methylresorcinol), being 0.08 mg/l for phenol, the most abundant phenolic contaminant in the environment. Different phenolic compounds had an additive effect on the inducibility of the sensor. The constructed sensor bacteria were applied on groundwaters and semi-coke leachates to estimate the bioavailable fraction of phenols. The sensor-determined amount of phenols in different samples varied from 6% to 95% of total phenol content depending on the nature of the sample. As the phenol-recognising unit in the sensor originates from a natural phenol biodegradation pathway, the sensor-determined amount of phenols corresponds to the biodegradable amount of phenolic pollutants in the samples and therefore this sensor could be used to estimate the natural biodegradation potential of phenolic compounds in the complex environmental mixtures and matrixes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anu Leedjärv
- National Institute of Chemical Physics and Biophysics, Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Akadeemia tee 23, 12618 Tallinn, Estonia.
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Everhart JL, McNear D, Peltier E, van der Lelie D, Chaney RL, Sparks DL. Assessing nickel bioavailability in smelter-contaminated soils. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2006; 367:732-44. [PMID: 16499951 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.12.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2005] [Revised: 12/06/2005] [Accepted: 12/14/2005] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Metal contaminants in soil environments derived from industrial pollution have clearly established the need for research on bioavailability and potential health risks. Much research has been conducted on metal sorption in soils. However, there is still a need to better understand the availability of metal contaminants to plants and microbes. Such information will enhance both human health and decisions about remediation efforts. In this study, Welland Loam (Typic epiaquoll) and Quarry Muck (Terric haplohemist) Ni contaminated soils from Port Colborne (Canada) which had been treated and untreated with limestone, were employed in greenhouse and bioavailability studies. These soils varied in pH from 5.1 to 7.5, in organic matter content from 6% to 72%, and in total Ni from 63 to 22,000 mg/kg. Oat (Avena sativa), a nonhyperaccumulator, and Alyssum murale, a hyperaccumulating plant species, were grown on these soils in greenhouse studies for 45 and 120 days, respectively, to estimate Ni accumulation. A Ni specific bacterial biosensor was also used to determine Ni bioavailability, and the results were compared to those from the greenhouse studies and more conventional, indirect chemical extraction techniques (employing MgCl2 and a Sr(NO3)2). Results from the greenhouse, chemical extraction, and biosensor studies suggested that as the pH of the soil was increased with liming, Ni bioavailability decreased. However, the phytoextraction capability of A. murale increased as soil pH increased, which was not the case for A. sativa. Furthermore, the Ni specific bacterial biosensor was successful in predicting Ni bioavailability in the soils and suggested that higher Ni bioavailabilities occur in the soils at pH values of 5.1 and 6. The combination of plant growth, chemical extraction, and bacterial biosensor approaches are recommended for assessing bioavailability of toxic metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Everhart
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE 19717, USA.
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