Rationally modified estrogen receptor protein as a bio-recognition element for the detection of EDC pollutants: strategies and opportunities.
The estrogen receptor protein (ER) can bind a vast number of organic pollutants widely spread in the environment and collectively known as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, EDCs. Its broad selectivity makes it an ideal bio-recognition element for the detection of EDCs. Here we describe the strategy and rationale for the design of ER based biosensors and assays that generate a signal in the presence of EDCs. The opportunity to use either natural or rationally modified ER molecules is discussed. The latter approach was successfully applied in the EU-FP7 project RADAR, with the aim to develop a novel biosensor for the detection of organic pollutants both in the environment and in commercial water products.
Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera italiana (USI) via Vela 6, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland. mattia.pedotti@irb.usi.ch.
Mattia
M
Pedotti
European Commission-Directorate General-Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Varese 21027, Italy. valentina.ferrero@jrc.ec.europa.eu.
Valentina Elisabetta Viviana
VE
Ferrero
European Commission-Directorate General-Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Varese 21027, Italy. Teresa.lettieri@jrc.ec.europa.eu.
Teresa
T
Lettieri
European Commission-Directorate General-Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Varese 21027, Italy. pascal.cplpo@ec.europa.eu.
Pascal
P
Colpo
CSEM Landquart, Bahnhofstrasse 1, Landquart 7302, Switzerland. stephane.follonier@csem.ch.
Stephane
S
Follonier
European Commission-Directorate General-Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Varese 21027, Italy. luigi.calzolai@jrc.ec.europa.eu.
Luigi
L
Calzolai
Institute for Research in Biomedicine, Universita' della Svizzera italiana (USI) via Vela 6, 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland. luca.varani@irb.usi.ch.
Luca
L
Varani
D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000032:analysis*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism*
D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen