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Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2000, p. 1676-1679, Vol. 66, No. 4
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.

Design and Application of a Biosensor for Monitoring Toxicity of Compounds to Eukaryotes

R. P. Hollis,1 K. Killham,2 and L. A. Glover1,*

Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD,1 and Department of Plant and Soil Science, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UU,2 United Kingdom

Received 21 September 1999/Accepted 31 December 1999

Here we describe an alternative approach to currently used cytotoxicity analyses through applying eukaryotic microbial biosensors. The yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was genetically modified to express firefly luciferase, generating a bioluminescent yeast strain. The presence of any toxic chemical that interfered with the cells' metabolism resulted in a quantitative decrease in bioluminescence. In this study, it was demonstrated that the luminescent yeast strain senses chemicals known to be toxic to eukaryotes in samples assessed as nontoxic by prokaryotic biosensors. As the cell wall and adaptive mechanisms of S. cerevisiae cells enhance stability and protect from extremes of pH, solvent exposure, and osmotic shock, these inherent properties were exploited to generate a biosensor that should detect a wide range of both organic and inorganic toxins under extreme conditions.

* Corresponding author. Mailing address: Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Aberdeen, Institute of Medical Sciences, Foresterhill, Aberdeen AB25 2ZD, United Kingdom. Phone: 44 (0)1224 273099. Fax: 44 (0)1224 273144. E-mail: l.a.glover{at}abdn.ac.uk.

Applied and Environmental Microbiology, April 2000, p. 1676-1679, Vol. 66, No. 4
0099-2240/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.


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