title: Cyanobacteria carrying an smt-lux transcriptional fusion as biosensors for the detection of heavy metal cations.
abstract: The metal-responsive smt operator/promoter region of Synechococcus PCC7942 was fused to the luxCDABE genes of Vibrio fischeri. Plasmid DNA (pJLE23) carrying this fusion conferred metal ion-inducible luminescence to transformed cyanobacteria. Synechococcus PCC7942 (pJLE23) was sensitive to ZnCl2 concentrations within a range of 0.5-4 microM as demonstrated by induction of luminescence. Trace levels of CuSO24 and CdCl2 were also detected.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham 35294, USA.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Erbe
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Adams
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hall
mesh_terms: D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015374:Biosensing Techniques; D019256:Cadmium Chloride / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002712:Chlorides / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D019327:Copper Sulfate / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008668:Metallothionein / Q000235:genetics; D010957:Plasmids; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D017967:Zinc Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002712:Chlorides; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D015534:Trans-Activators; D017967:Zinc Compounds; C080048:smtA protein, Synechococcus; C064778:LuxR autoinducer binding proteins; C016837:zinc chloride; D008668:Metallothionein; D019256:Cadmium Chloride; D019327:Copper Sulfate