Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
---|---|---|---|---|
9604306 | Journal of Biotechnology | 2005 | 8 Pages |
Abstract
We herein report the development of a recombinant bacterial biosensor for the rapid and easy detection of phenolic compounds in the field. A plasmid was designed to encode a β-galactosidase reporter gene under the control of capR, an activator involved in phenolic compound degradation. The construct was transformed into Escherichia coli, and transformed cells were stored after being freeze-dried in the presence of sucrose. For detection of phenolic compounds, the cells were rehydrated, and used instantly, without any growth step. In the presence of 0.1 μM-10 mM phenol, we observed a red color from hydrolysis of chlorophenol red β-d-galactopyranoside (CPRG) or an indigo color from hydrolysis of X-galactopyranoside (X-gal). Other phenolic compounds could be detected by this system, including catechol, 2-methylphenol, 2-chlorophenol, 3-methylphenol, 2-nitrophenol, and 4-chlorophenol. These results suggest that this novel bacteria biosensor may be useful for easy, on-site detection of phenolic compounds without the need for unwieldy equipment or sample pretreatment. Indeed, biosensor systems involving β-galactosidase-expressing freeze-dried recombinant bacteria could prove useful for the in situ detection of many more compounds in the future.
Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering
Chemical Engineering
Bioengineering
Authors
Hae Ja Shin, Hoo Hwi Park, Woon Ki Lim,