title: Analytical strategies for improving the robustness and reproducibility of bioluminescent microbial bioreporters.
abstract: Whole-cell bioluminescent (BL) bioreporter technology is a useful analytical tool for developing biosensors for environmental toxicology and preclinical studies. However, when applied to real samples, several methodological problems prevent it from being widely used. Here, we propose a methodological approach for improving its analytical performance with complex matrix. We developed bioluminescent Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae bioreporters for copper ion detection. In the same cell, we introduced two firefly luciferases requiring the same luciferin substrate emitting at different wavelengths. The expression of one was copper ion specific. The other, constitutively expressed, was used as a cell viability internal control. Engineered BL cells were characterized using the noninvasive gravitational field-flow fractionation (GrFFF) technique. Homogeneous cell population was isolated. Cells were then immobilized in a polymeric matrix improving cell responsiveness. The bioassay was performed in 384-well black polystyrene microtiter plates directly on the sample. After 2 h of incubation at 37 °C and the addition of the luciferin, we measured the emitted light. These dual-color bioreporters showed more robustness and a wider dynamic range than bioassays based on the same strains with a single reporter gene and that uses a separate cell strain as BL control. The internal correction allowed to accurately evaluate the copper content even in simulated toxic samples, where reduced cell viability was observed. Homogenous cells isolated by GrFFF showed improvement in method reproducibility, particularly for yeast cells. The applicability of these bioreporters to real samples was demonstrated in tap water and wastewater treatment plant effluent samples spiked with copper and other metal ions.
authors: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. aldo.roda@unibo.it
authors: Aldo
authors: A
authors: Roda
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Roda
authors: Luca
authors: L
authors: Cevenini
authors: Elisa
authors: E
authors: Michelini
authors: Laura
authors: L
authors: Mezzanotte
authors: Pierluigi
authors: P
authors: Reschiglian
authors: Kaisa
authors: K
authors: Hakkila
authors: Marko
authors: M
authors: Virta