The ins and outs of bacterial bioreporter assays for environmental quality measurements
Event details
| Date | 27.09.2010 |
| Hour | 16:15 |
| Speaker | van der Meer, Jan Roelef (UNIL) |
| Location |
GR A3 31
|
| Category | Conferences - Seminars |
Bacterial bioreporter assays have been developed as alternative methods for quick, semi-quantitative measurements of global environmental parameters (e.g., 'toxicity') or specific groups of chemicals (e.g., BTEX, PAHs, heavy metals). Key element in the bioreporter assay is a genetically modified bacterium that can sense the target chemical or conditions, and, upon sensing, produce a readout in the form of a so-called reporter protein, the activity of which is easily measurable. Typical reporter proteins include luciferases or fluorescent proteins, that can be measured at high sensitivity. Bioreporter bacteria are thus 'designer' organisms, in which genetic engineers construct appropriately functioning genetic circuits that produce the necessary elements for the sensing and reporting reaction. This presentation will give a brief overview of the elements of bioreporter construction, such as selecting the appropriate sensor target, and will then give a number of examples of versatile use of bioreporter assays as alternatives for chemical analytics (e.g., arsenic reporter assays), and in bioavailability assays.
Links
Practical information
- General public
- Free
Contact
- Kohn, Tamar (LCE)