title: Construction of bioluminescent cyanobacterial reporter strains for detection of nickel, cobalt and zinc.
abstract: Two whole-cell bioluminescent reporters were constructed by fusing the reporter genes luxAB with the Co(2+) and Zn(2+) inducible coaT promoter or the Ni(2+)-inducible nrsBACD promoter, respectively, in the genome of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The obtained reporters, designated coaLux and nrsLux, respectively, responded quantitatively to metal ions. After 3 h incubation at 40 micromol m(-2) s(-1) visible light, the detection range of coaLux was 0.3-6 microM for Co(2+) and 1-3 microM for Zn(2+). Incubation in darkness increased the detection range by about four times. The nrsLux reporter was specific to Ni(2+), with a detection range of 0.2-6 microM. However, its activity was inhibited by Zn(2+) with a half maximal inhibitory concentration c. 6 microM, and totally inhibited by darkness. This is the first whole-cell Ni(2+)-specific reporter with a clear dose-signal relationship. In a soil-like mixture of different chemical and oil industry wastes, the coaLux reporter strain detected about 90% of the zinc content of the sample. This study demonstrates the potential for development of a rapid, simple and economical field assay for nickel, cobalt and zinc detection using the coaLux and nrsLux reporters.
authors.affiliation: Biological Research Center, Institute of Plant Biology, Szeged, Hungary.
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Peca
authors.forename: Péter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Kós
authors.forename: Zoltan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Máté
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farsang
authors.forename: Imre
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vass
mesh_terms: D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005818:Genetic Engineering; D049453:Luciferases, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012989:Soil Pollutants / Q000032:analysis; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014733:Vibrio / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D012989:Soil Pollutants; D049453:Luciferases, Bacterial