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An optical detection module-based biosensor using fortified bacterial beads for soil toxicity assessment

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Abstract

An optical biosensor module for soil contamination assessment is presented, employing bioluminescent bacterial bioreporters encapsulated in poly-dopamine (PD)-coated alginate microbeads. The PD-coated beads displayed improved mechanical strength and stability, but somewhat delayed responses to the inducing toxicant. Using toluene as a model soil contaminant, two bioluminescent reporter strains were employed for its detection in the ambient light-blocking, temperature-controlled biosensor module. Bioluminescence of strain TV1061 (harboring an inducible grpE::luxCDABE fusion) increased and that of strain GC2 (harboring a constitutive lac::luxCDABE fusion) decreased in the presence of increasing toluene concentrations. In the former case, a maximal effect was observed in the presence of 1% toluene. This simple optical detection biosensor module may potentially be utilized for monitoring soil contamination from areas suspected of chemical pollution such petrochemical industrial zones or petrol stations.

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Abbreviations

PCBs:

Polychlorinated biphenyls

BTEX:

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene

GC:

Gas chromatography

GFP:

Green fluorescent protein

FMNH2 :

Reduced flavin mononucleotide

FMN:

Flavin mononucleotide

PD:

Poly-dopamine

LB:

Lysogeny broth

OD:

Optical density

BL:

Bioluminescence

RBL:

Relative bioluminescence

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Basic Core Technology Development Program for the Oceans and the Polar Regions of the National Research Foundation (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (2015M1A5A1037055). Man Bock Gu thanks both Hebrew University of Jerusalem in Israel (HUJI) and Alexander von Humboldt (AvH) Foundation in Germany for visiting research in 2019.

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Author notes

  1. Jin Woo Bae and Ho Bin Seo contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Anam-dong, Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, 02841, Republic of Korea

    Jin Woo Bae, Ho Bin Seo & Man Bock Gu

  2. Institute of Advanced technology, CJ Cheiljeding, CJ Blossom Park, 42, Gwanggyo-ro, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do, 16495, Republic of Korea

    Ho Bin Seo

  3. Institute of Life Sciences, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 9190401, Jerusalem, Israel

    Shimshon Belkin

Authors
  1. Jin Woo Bae
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  2. Ho Bin Seo
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Correspondence to Man Bock Gu.

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Published in the topical collection Advances in Direct Optical Detection with guest editors Antje J. Baeumner, Günter Gauglitz, and Jiri Homola.

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Bae, J.W., Seo, H.B., Belkin, S. et al. An optical detection module-based biosensor using fortified bacterial beads for soil toxicity assessment. Anal Bioanal Chem 412, 3373–3381 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-02469-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-020-02469-z

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