title: Molecular manipulations for enhancing luminescent bioreporters performance in the detection of toxic chemicals.
abstract: Microbial whole-cell bioreporters are genetically modified microorganisms that produce a quantifiable output in response to the presence of toxic chemicals or other stress factors. These bioreporters harbor a genetic fusion between a sensing element (usually a gene regulatory element responsive to the target) and a reporter element, the product of which may be quantitatively monitored either by its presence or by its activity. In this chapter we review genetic manipulations undertaken in order to improve bioluminescent bioreporter performance by increasing luminescent output, lowering the limit of detection, and shortening the response time. We describe molecular manipulations applied to all aspects of whole-cell bioreporters: the host strain, the expression system, the sensing element, and the reporter element. The molecular construction of whole-cell luminescent bioreporters, harboring fusions of gene promoter elements to reporter genes, has been around for over three decades; in most cases, these two genetic elements are combined "as is." This chapter outlines diverse molecular manipulations for enhancing the performance of such sensors.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel.
authors.forename: Sharon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yagur-Kroll
authors.forename: Shimshon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Belkin
mesh_terms: D001681:Biological Assay; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D057230:Limit of Detection; D049453:Luciferases, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049449:Luminescence; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D011549:Pseudomonas / Q000201:enzymology / Q000235:genetics*; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D020218:Response Elements
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins; D049453:Luciferases, Bacterial