Microbial detection of toxic compounds utilizing recombinant DNA technology and bioluminescence

Soomi Lee*, Masayasu Suzuki, Eiichi Tamiya, Isao Karube

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

A microbial sensing system was developed utilizing recombinant DNA technology for the determination of environmental pollutants. The emission of light in Escherichia coli was achieved by cloning the genes encoding luciferase from firefly and by injection of the luminescence substrate luciferin. A good correlation was observed between increased luminescence and the concentration of luciferin. Measurement of environmental pollutants was based on the decrease of in vivo luminescence intensity emitted by recombinant E. coli, which was affected by cell metabolic inactivator. Environmental pollutants such as sodium azide and fluoroacetic acid, which are components of ATP-inhibiting pesticides, and antibiotics were detected at or below the μg ml-1 level by this system by measurement of the decrease in in vivo luminescence.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)201-206
Number of pages6
JournalAnalytica Chimica Acta
Volume244
Issue numberC
DOIs
StatePublished - 1991

Keywords

  • Bioluminescence
  • Chemiluminescence
  • Environmental pollutants
  • Recombinant DNA
  • Toxic compounds

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Environmental Chemistry
  • Spectroscopy

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