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Pushing the limits of nickel detection to nanomolar range using a set of engineered bioluminescent Escherichia coli

  • In-line Multiplexed Biosensing
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Abstract

The detection of nickel in water is of great importance due to its harmfulness for living organism. A way to detect Ni is the use of whole-cell biosensors. The aim of the present work was to build a light-emitting bacterial biosensor for the detection of Ni with high specificity and low detection limit properties. For that purpose, the regulatory circuit implemented relied on the RcnR Ni/Co metallo-regulator and its rcnA natural target promoter fused to the lux reporter genes. To convert RcnR to specifically detect Ni, several mutations were tested and the C35A retained. Deleting the Ni efflux pump rcnA and introducing genes encoding several Ni-uptake systems lowered the detection thresholds. When these constructs were assayed in several Escherichia coli strains, it appeared that the detection thresholds were highly variable. The TD2158 wild-type E. coli gave rise to a biosensor ten times more active and sensitive than its W3110 E. coli K12 equivalent. This biosensor was able to confidently detect Ni concentrations as little as 80 nM (4.7 μg l−1), which makes its use compatible with the norms governing the drinking water quality.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the French National Agency ANR Ecotech, COMBITOX.

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    Authors and Affiliations

    1. Université de Lyon, Lyon, 69003, France

      Julien Cayron, Elsa Prudent, Erwan Gueguen, Marie-Andrée Mandrand-Berthelot & Agnès Rodrigue

    2. INSA de Lyon, Villeurbanne, 69621, France

      Julien Cayron, Elsa Prudent, Erwan Gueguen, Marie-Andrée Mandrand-Berthelot & Agnès Rodrigue

    3. CNRS, UMR5240, Microbiologie, Adaptation et Pathogénie, Université Lyon 1, 10 rue Dubois, 69622, Villeurbanne Cedex, France

      Julien Cayron, Elsa Prudent, Erwan Gueguen, Marie-Andrée Mandrand-Berthelot & Agnès Rodrigue

    4. CEA, DSV, IBEB, Lab Bioenerget Cellulaire, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, France

      Camille Escoffier, David Pignol & Daniel Garcia

    5. CNRS, UMR Biol Veget & Microbiol Environ, Aix-Marseille Université, Saint-Paul-lez-Durance, 13108, France

      Camille Escoffier, David Pignol & Daniel Garcia

    Authors
    1. Julien Cayron
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    2. Elsa Prudent
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    Correspondence to Agnès Rodrigue.

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    Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

    Julien Cayron and Elsa Prudent contributed equally to this work.

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    Cayron, J., Prudent, E., Escoffier, C. et al. Pushing the limits of nickel detection to nanomolar range using a set of engineered bioluminescent Escherichia coli . Environ Sci Pollut Res 24, 4–14 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5580-6

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    • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-5580-6

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