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Zevallos-Aliaga D, De Graeve S, Obando-Chávez P, Vaccari NA, Gao Y, Peeters T, Guerra DG. Highly Sensitive Whole-Cell Mercury Biosensors for Environmental Monitoring. BIOSENSORS 2024; 14:246. [PMID: 38785720 PMCID: PMC11117708 DOI: 10.3390/bios14050246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 04/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Whole-cell biosensors could serve as eco-friendly and cost-effective alternatives for detecting potentially toxic bioavailable heavy metals in aquatic environments. However, they often fail to meet practical requirements due to an insufficient limit of detection (LOD) and high background noise. In this study, we designed a synthetic genetic circuit specifically tailored for detecting ionic mercury, which we applied to environmental samples collected from artisanal gold mining sites in Peru. We developed two distinct versions of the biosensor, each utilizing a different reporter protein: a fluorescent biosensor (Mer-RFP) and a colorimetric biosensor (Mer-Blue). Mer-RFP enabled real-time monitoring of the culture's response to mercury samples using a plate reader, whereas Mer-Blue was analysed for colour accumulation at the endpoint using a specially designed, low-cost camera setup for harvested cell pellets. Both biosensors exhibited negligible baseline expression of their respective reporter proteins and responded specifically to HgBr2 in pure water. Mer-RFP demonstrated a linear detection range from 1 nM to 1 μM, whereas Mer-Blue showed a linear range from 2 nM to 125 nM. Our biosensors successfully detected a high concentration of ionic mercury in the reaction bucket where artisanal miners produce a mercury-gold amalgam. However, they did not detect ionic mercury in the water from active mining ponds, indicating a concentration lower than 3.2 nM Hg2+-a result consistent with chemical analysis quantitation. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of Mer-Blue as a practical and affordable monitoring tool, highlighting its stability, reliance on simple visual colorimetry, and the possibility of sensitivity expansion to organic mercury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dahlin Zevallos-Aliaga
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Individuales, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru; (D.Z.-A.); (P.O.-C.); (N.A.V.)
| | - Stijn De Graeve
- Open BioLab Brussels, Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 121, B-1090 Jette, Belgium
| | - Pamela Obando-Chávez
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Individuales, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru; (D.Z.-A.); (P.O.-C.); (N.A.V.)
| | - Nicolás A. Vaccari
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Individuales, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru; (D.Z.-A.); (P.O.-C.); (N.A.V.)
| | - Yue Gao
- Archaeology, Environmental Changes and Geo-Chemistry (AMGC), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium;
| | - Tom Peeters
- Open BioLab Brussels, Erasmushogeschool Brussel, Laarbeeklaan 121, B-1090 Jette, Belgium
| | - Daniel G. Guerra
- Laboratorio de Moléculas Individuales, Laboratorios de Investigación y Desarrollo, Facultad de Ciencias e Ingeniería, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Lima 15102, Peru; (D.Z.-A.); (P.O.-C.); (N.A.V.)
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Hui CY, Ma BC, Hu SY, Wu C. Tailored bacteria tackling with environmental mercury: Inspired by natural mercuric detoxification operons. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2024; 341:123016. [PMID: 38008253 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.123016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and its inorganic and organic compounds significantly threaten the ecosystem and human health. However, the natural and anthropogenic Hg environmental inputs exceed 5000 metric tons annually. Hg is usually discharged in elemental or ionic forms, accumulating in surface water and sediments where Hg-methylating microbes-mediated biotransformation occurs. Microbial genetic factors such as the mer operon play a significant role in the complex Hg biogeochemical cycle. Previous reviews summarize the fate of environmental Hg, its biogeochemistry, and the mechanism of bacterial Hg resistance. This review mainly focuses on the mer operon and its components in detecting, absorbing, bioaccumulating, and detoxifying environmental Hg. Four components of the mer operon, including the MerR regulator, divergent mer promoter, and detoxification factors MerA and MerB, are rare bio-parts for assembling synthetic bacteria, which tackle pollutant Hg. Bacteria are designed to integrate synthetic biology, protein engineering, and metabolic engineering. In summary, this review highlights that designed bacteria based on the mer operon can potentially sense and bioremediate pollutant Hg in a green and low-cost manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Ye Hui
- Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, 2019 Buxin Road, Shenzhen, 518020, China.
| | - Bing-Chan Ma
- Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, 2019 Buxin Road, Shenzhen, 518020, China; School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shun-Yu Hu
- Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, 2019 Buxin Road, Shenzhen, 518020, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Can Wu
- Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, 2019 Buxin Road, Shenzhen, 518020, China; Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
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Arik N, Elcin E, Tezcaner A, Oktem HA. Optimization of whole-cell bacterial bioreporter immobilization on electrospun cellulose acetate (CA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) fibers for arsenic detection. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2023; 195:666. [PMID: 37178337 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-023-11227-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Arsenic contamination is a critical global problem, and its widespread environmental detection is becoming a prominent issue. Herein, electrospun fibers of cellulose acetate (CA) and polycaprolactone (PCL) were successfully fabricated and used as the support material for immobilization of arsenic-sensing bacterial bioreporter for the first time. To date, no attempt has been made to immobilize fluorescent whole-cell bioreporter cells on electrospun fibers for arsenic detection. CA and PCL electrospun fibers were fabricated via traditional electrospinning technique and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and contact angle meter. Following immobilization of the bacterial bioreporter cells, the immobilized bacteria were also characterized by viability assay using AlamarBlue. The effects of growth phase and cell concentration on the fluorescence response of fiber-immobilized arsenic bioreporters to arsenic were also investigated. After immobilization of arsenic bioreporters on 10 wt% PCL fiber, 91% of bacterial cells remained viable, while this value was 55.4% for cells immobilized on 12.5 wt% CA fiber. Bioreporter cells in the exponential growth phase were shown to be more sensitive to arsenic compared to aged cells. While both the electropsun PCL- and CA-immobilized bioreporters successfully detected 50 and 100 µg/L of arsenite (As (III)) concentrations, the PCL-immobilized bioreporter showed better fluorescence performance which should be investigated in future studies. This study helps to fill some gaps in the literature and demonstrates the potential for using electrospun fiber-immobilized arsenic whole-cell bioreporter for arsenic detection in water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehir Arik
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Evrim Elcin
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, 09970, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Aysen Tezcaner
- Department of Engineering Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Hüseyin Avni Oktem
- Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, 06800, Ankara, Turkey.
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Zhang J, Li C, Tang W, Wu M, Chen M, He H, Lei P, Zhong H. Mercury in wetlands over 60 years: Research progress and emerging trends. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 869:161862. [PMID: 36716881 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161862] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Wetlands are considered the hotspots for mercury (Hg) biogeochemistry, garnering global attention. Therefore, it is important to review the research progress in this field and predict future frontiers. To achieve that, we conducted a literature analysis by collecting 15,813 publications about Hg in wetlands from the Web of Science Core Collection. The focus of wetland Hg research has changed dramatically over time: 1) In the initial stage (i.e., 1959-1990), research mainly focused on investigating the sources and contents of Hg in wetland environments and fish. 2) For the next 20 years (i.e., 1991-2010), Hg transformation (e.g., Hg reduction and methylation) and environmental factors that affect Hg bioaccumulation have attracted extensive attention. 3) In the recent years of 2011-2022, hot topics in Hg study include microbial Hg methylators, Hg bioavailability, methylmercury (MeHg) demethylation, Hg stable isotope, and Hg cycling in paddy fields. Finally, we put forward future research priorities, i.e., 1) clarifying the primary factors controlling MeHg production, 2) uncovering the MeHg demethylation process, 3) elucidating MeHg bioaccumulation process to better predict its risk, and 4) recognizing the role of wetlands in Hg circulation. This research shows a comprehensive knowledge map for wetland Hg research and suggests avenues for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chengjun Li
- Institute of Environmental Research at Greater Bay Area, Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenli Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mengjie Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mingying Chen
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Huan He
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Pei Lei
- School of Environment, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Huan Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resources Reuse, School of Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China; Environmental and Life Science Program (EnLS), Trent University, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
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Chen Y, Guo Y, Liu Y, Xiang Y, Liu G, Zhang Q, Yin Y, Cai Y, Jiang G. Advances in bacterial whole-cell biosensors for the detection of bioavailable mercury: A review. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161709. [PMID: 36682565 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161709] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Revised: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and its organic compounds, especially monomethylmercury (MeHg), cause major damage to the ecosystem and human health. In surface water or sediments, microorganisms play a crucial role in the methylation and demethylation of Hg. Given that Hg transformation processes are intracellular reactions, accurate assessment of the bioavailability of Hg(II)/MeHg in the environment, particularly for microorganisms, is of major importance. Compared with traditional analytical methods, bacterial whole-cell biosensors (BWCBs) provide a more accurate, convenient, and cost-effective strategy to assess the environmental risks of Hg(II)/MeHg. This Review summarizes recent progress in the application of BWCBs in the detection of bioavailable Hg(II)/MeHg, providing insight on current challenges and strategies. The principle and components of BWCBs for Hg(II)/MeHg bioavailability analysis are introduced. Furthermore, the impact of water chemical factors on the bioavailability of Hg is discussed as are future perspectives of BWCBs in bioavailable Hg analysis and optimization of BWCBs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueqian Chen
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yingying Guo
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yanwei Liu
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yuping Xiang
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China.
| | - Guangliang Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States of America
| | - Qinghua Zhang
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Yongguang Yin
- School of Environment, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China; Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Yong Cai
- Laboratory of Environmental Nanotechnology and Health, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199, United States of America
| | - Guibin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Hui CY, Hu SY, Li LM, Yun JP, Zhang YF, Yi J, Zhang NX, Guo Y. Metabolic engineering of the carotenoid biosynthetic pathway toward a specific and sensitive inorganic mercury biosensor. RSC Adv 2022; 12:36142-36148. [PMID: 36545109 PMCID: PMC9756418 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra06764a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The toxicity of mercury (Hg) mainly depends on its form. Whole-cell biosensors respond selectively to toxic Hg(ii), efficiently transformed by environmental microbes into methylmercury, a highly toxic form that builds up in aquatic animals. Metabolically engineered Escherichia coli (E. coli) have successfully produced rainbow colorants. By de novo reconstruction of the carotenoid synthetic pathway, the Hg(ii)-responsive production of lycopene and β-carotene enabled programmed E. coli to potentially become an optical biosensor for the qualitative and quantitative detection of ecotoxic Hg(ii). The red color of the lycopene-based biosensor cell pellet was visible upon exposure to 49 nM Hg(ii) and above. The orange β-carotene-based biosensor responded to a simple colorimetric assay as low as 12 nM Hg(ii). A linear response was observed at Hg(ii) concentrations ranging from 12 to 195 nM. Importantly, high specificity and good anti-interference capability suggested that metabolic engineering of the carotenoid biosynthesis was an alternative to developing a visual platform for the rapid analysis of the concentration and toxicity of Hg(ii) in environmentally polluted water.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-ye Hui
- Department of Pathology & Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Shun-yu Hu
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510515China
| | - Li-mei Li
- Department of Pathology & Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Jian-pei Yun
- Physical & Chemical Testing Laboratory, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Yan-fang Zhang
- Physical & Chemical Testing Laboratory, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Juan Yi
- Department of Pathology & Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Nai-xing Zhang
- National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
| | - Yan Guo
- Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Southern Medical UniversityGuangzhou 510515China,National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational DiseasesShenzhen 518020China
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Zhu Y, Elcin E, Jiang M, Li B, Wang H, Zhang X, Wang Z. Use of whole-cell bioreporters to assess bioavailability of contaminants in aquatic systems. Front Chem 2022; 10:1018124. [PMID: 36247665 PMCID: PMC9561917 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.1018124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Water contamination has become increasingly a critical global environmental issue that threatens human and ecosystems’ health. Monitoring and risk assessment of toxic pollutants in water bodies is essential to identifying water pollution treatment needs. Compared with the traditional monitoring approaches, environmental biosensing via whole-cell bioreporters (WCBs) has exhibited excellent capabilities for detecting bioavailability of multiple pollutants by providing a fast, simple, versatile and economical way for environmental risk assessment. The performance of WCBs is determined by its elements of construction, such as host strain, regulatory and reporter genes, as well as experimental conditions. Previously, numerous studies have focused on the design and construction of WCB rather than improving the detection process and commercialization of this technology. For investigators working in the environmental field, WCB can be used to detect pollutants is more important than how they are constructed. This work provides a review of the development of WCBs and a brief introduction to genetic construction strategies and aims to summarize key studies on the application of WCB technology in detection of water contaminants, including organic pollutants and heavy metals. In addition, the current status of commercialization of WCBs is highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhu
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Evrim Elcin
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Division of Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, Turkey
| | - Mengyuan Jiang
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
| | - Boling Li
- School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Suzhou University of Science and Technology, Suzhou, China
| | - Hailong Wang
- Biochar Engineering Technology Research Center of Guangdong Province, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan, China
| | - Xiaokai Zhang
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaokai Zhang,
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- School of Environmental and Civil Engineering, Institute of Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, Jiangnan University, Wuxi, China
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Hui CY, Guo Y, Li H, Chen YT, Yi J. Differential Detection of Bioavailable Mercury and Cadmium Based on a Robust Dual-Sensing Bacterial Biosensor. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:846524. [PMID: 35495723 PMCID: PMC9043898 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.846524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Genetically programmed biosensors have been widely used to monitor bioavailable heavy metal pollutions in terms of their toxicity to living organisms. Most bacterial biosensors were initially designed to detect specific heavy metals such as mercury and cadmium. However, most available biosensors failed to distinguish cadmium from various heavy metals, especially mercury. Integrating diverse sensing elements into a single genetic construct or a single host strain has been demonstrated to quantify several heavy metals simultaneously. In this study, a dual-sensing construct was assembled by employing mercury-responsive regulator (MerR) and cadmium-responsive regulator (CadR) as the separate sensory elements and enhanced fluorescent protein (eGFP) and mCherry red fluorescent protein (mCherry) as the separate reporters. Compared with two corresponding single-sensing bacterial sensors, the dual-sensing bacterial sensor emitted differential double-color fluorescence upon exposure to 0–40 μM toxic Hg(II) and red fluorescence upon exposure to toxic Cd(II) below 200 μM. Bioavailable Hg(II) could be quantitatively determined using double-color fluorescence within a narrow concentration range (0–5 μM). But bioavailable Cd(II) could be quantitatively measured using red fluorescence over a wide concentration range (0–200 μM). The dual-sensing biosensor was applied to detect bioavailable Hg(II) and Cd(II) simultaneously. Significant higher red fluorescence reflected the predominant pollution of Cd(II), and significant higher green fluorescence suggested the predominant pollution of Hg(II). Our findings show that the synergistic application of various sensory modules contributes to an efficient biological device that responds to concurrent heavy metal pollutants in the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Ye Hui
- Department of Pathology and Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yan Guo
- National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
| | - Han Li
- College of Lab Medicine, Hebei North University, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Yu-Ting Chen
- Department of Pathology and Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
| | - Juan Yi
- Department of Pathology and Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
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Muhammad ARH, Abu-Elreesh G, Sedik M, Moawad H, Sabbor AT, Abd-El-Haleem D. Studying the behavior of the light-off bioreporter DF4/PUTK2 as a light-on assay against lead. BIOCATALYSIS AND AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcab.2021.102069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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10
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Filatov AV, Perepelov AV, Shashkov AS, Burygin GL, Gogoleva NE, Khlopko YA, Grinev VS. Structure and genetics of the O-antigen of Enterobacter cloacae K7 containing di-N-acetylpseudaminic acid. Carbohydr Res 2021; 508:108392. [PMID: 34274818 DOI: 10.1016/j.carres.2021.108392] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The O-antigen (O-polysaccharide) is an essential component of lipopolysaccharide on the surface of Gram-negative bacteria and plays an important role in interaction with host organisms. In this study, we investigated the chemical structure and characterized the gene cluster of Enterobacter cloacae K7 O-antigen. As judged by sugar analyses along with NMR spectroscopy data, E. cloacae K7 antigen has a tetrasaccharide O-unit with the following structure: →8)-β-Psep5Ac7Ac-(2 → 2)-β-l-Rhap-(1 → 4)-α-l-Rhap-(1 → 3)-α-d-Galp-(1→ The O-antigen gene cluster of E. cloacae K7 between conserved genes galF and gnd was sequenced. Most genes necessary for the O-antigen synthesis were found in the cluster and their functions were tentatively assigned by comparison with sequences in the available databases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrei V Filatov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation.
| | - Andrei V Perepelov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Alexander S Shashkov
- N. D. Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119991, Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Gennady L Burygin
- Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, 410049, Saratov, Russian Federation; Vavilov Saratov State Agrarian University, 410012, Saratov, Russian Federation
| | - Natalia E Gogoleva
- Kazan Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Kazan Science Centre, Russian Academy of Sciences, 420111, Kazan, Russian Federation; Kazan Federal University, 420111, Kazan, Russian Federation
| | - Yuriy A Khlopko
- Institute for Cellular and Intracellular Symbiosis, Urals Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, 460000, Orenburg, Russian Federation
| | - Vyacheslav S Grinev
- Institute of Biochemistry and Physiology of Plants and Microorganisms, Russian Academy of Sciences, 410049, Saratov, Russian Federation
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11
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Guo Y, Hui CY, Liu L, Chen MP, Huang HY. Development of a bioavailable Hg(II) sensing system based on MerR-regulated visual pigment biosynthesis. Sci Rep 2021; 11:13516. [PMID: 34188121 PMCID: PMC8242042 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-92878-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Engineered microorganisms have proven to be a highly effective and robust tool to specifically detect heavy metals in the environment. In this study, a highly specific pigment-based whole-cell biosensor has been investigated for the detection of bioavailable Hg(II) based on an artificial heavy metal resistance operon. The basic working principle of biosensors is based on the violacein biosynthesis under the control of mercury resistance (mer) promoter and mercury resistance regulator (MerR). Engineered biosensor cells have been demonstrated to selectively respond to Hg(II), and the specific response was not influenced by interfering metal ions. The response of violacein could be recognized by the naked eye, and the time required for the maximum response of violacein (5 h) was less than that of enhanced green fluorescence protein (eGFP) (8 h) in the single-signal output constructs. The response of violacein was almost unaffected by the eGFP in a double-promoter controlled dual-signals output construct. However, the response strength of eGFP was significantly decreased in this genetic construct. Exponentially growing violacein-based biosensor detected concentrations as low as 0.39 μM Hg(II) in a colorimetric method, and the linear relationship was observed in the concentration range of 0.78-12.5 μM. Non-growing biosensor cells responded to concentrations as low as 0.006 μM Hg(II) in a colorimetric method and in a Hg(II) containing plate sensitive assay, and the linear relationship was demonstrated in a very narrow concentration range. The developed biosensor was finally validated for the detection of spiked bioavailable Hg(II) in environmental water samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Guo
- National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chang-Ye Hui
- Department of Pathology and Toxicology, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Lisa Liu
- Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Min-Peng Chen
- National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
| | - Hong-Ying Huang
- National Key Clinical Specialty of Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen Prevention and Treatment Center for Occupational Diseases, Shenzhen, China
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Farooqi A, Din G, Hayat R, Badshah M, Khan S, Shah AA. Characterization of Bacillus nealsonii strain KBH10 capable of reducing aqueous mercury in laboratory-scale reactor. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2021; 83:2287-2295. [PMID: 33989193 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2021.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The environmental release of mercury is continuously increasing with high degree of mobility, transformation and amplified toxicity. Improving remediation strategies is becoming increasingly important to achieve more stringent environmental safety standards. This study develops a laboratory-scale reactor for bioremediation of aqueous mercury using a biofilm-producing bacterial strain, KBH10, isolated from mercury-polluted soil. The strain was found resistant to 80 mg/L of HgCl2 and identified as Bacillus nealsonii via 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. The strain KBH10 was characterized for optimum growth parameters and its mercury biotransformation potential was validated through mercuric reductase assay. A packed-bed column bioreactor was designed for biofilm-mediated mercury removal from artificially contaminated water and residual mercury was estimated. Strain KBH10 could grow at a range of temperature (20-50 °C) and pH (6.0-9.0) with optimum temperature established at 30 °C and pH 7.0. The optimum mercuric reductase activity (77.8 ± 1.7 U/mg) was reported at 30 °C and was stable at a temperature range of 20-50 °C. The residual mercury analysis of artificially contaminated water indicated 60.6 ± 1.5% reduction in mercury content within 5 h of exposure. This regenerative process of biofilm-mediated mercury removal in a packed-bed column bioreactor can provide new insight into its potential use in mercury bioremediation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asifa Farooqi
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail: ; † First and second author have equal contribution in this manuscript
| | - Ghufranud Din
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail: ; † First and second author have equal contribution in this manuscript
| | - Rameesha Hayat
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail:
| | - Malik Badshah
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail:
| | - Samiullah Khan
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail:
| | - Aamer Ali Shah
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad 45320, Pakistan E-mail:
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Pang Y, Ren X, Li J, Liang F, Rao X, Gao Y, Wu W, Li D, Wang J, Zhao J, Hong X, Jiang F, Wang W, Zhou H, Lyu J, Tan G. Development of a Sensitive Escherichia coli Bioreporter Without Antibiotic Markers for Detecting Bioavailable Copper in Water Environments. Front Microbiol 2020; 10:3031. [PMID: 32038525 PMCID: PMC6993034 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.03031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The whole-cell bioreporters based on the cop-operon sensing elements have been proven specifically useful in the assessment of bioavailable copper ions in water environments. In this study, a series of experiments was conducted to further improve the sensitivity and robustness of bioreporters. First, an Escherichia coli △copA△cueO△cusA mutant with three copper transport genes knocked out was constructed. Then, the copAp::gfpmut2 sensing element was inserted into the chromosome of E. coli △copA△cueO△cusA by gene knock-in method to obtain the bioreporter strain E. coli WMC-007. In optimized assay conditions, the linear detection range of Cu2+ was 0.025–5 mg/L (0.39–78.68 μM) after incubating E. coli WMC-007 in Luria–Bertani medium for 5 h. The limit of detection of Cu2+ was 0.0157 mg/L (0.25 μM). Moreover, fluorescence spectrometry and flow cytometry experiments showed more environmental robustness and lower background fluorescence signal than those of the sensor element based on plasmids. In addition, we found that the expression of GFPmut2 in E. coli WMC-007 was induced by free copper ions, rather than complex-bound copper, in a dose-dependent manner. Particularly, the addition of 40 mM 3-(N-Morpholino)propanesulfonic acid buffer to E. coli WMC-007 culture enabled accurate quantification of bioavailable copper content in aqueous solution samples within a pH range from 0.87 to 12.84. The copper recovery rate was about 95.88–113.40%. These results demonstrate potential applications of E. coli WMC-007 as a bioreporter to monitor copper contamination in acidic mine drainage, industrial wastewater, and drinking water. Since whole-cell bioreporters are relatively inexpensive and easy to operate, the combination of this method with other physicochemical techniques will in turn provide more specific information on the degree of toxicity in water environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Pang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiaojun Ren
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianghui Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Feng Liang
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiaoyu Rao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wenhe Wu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Dong Li
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Juanjuan Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianguo Zhao
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xufen Hong
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Fengying Jiang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Wu Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Huaibin Zhou
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jianxin Lyu
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China.,People's Hospital of Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Guoqiang Tan
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Technology and Application of Model Organisms, Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medicine, Ministry of Education, China, School of Laboratory Medicine and Life Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
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