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Zhang Q, Wei Z, Jia X. Controllable detection threshold achieved through the toehold switch system in a mercury ion whole-cell biosensor. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 256:116283. [PMID: 38608495 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
Due to the toxicity of mercury and its harmful effects on human health, it is essential to establish a low-cost, highly sensitive and highly specific monitoring method with a wide detection range, ideally with a simple visual readout. In this study, a whole-cell biosensor with adjustable detection limits was developed for the detection of mercury ions in water samples, allowing controllable threshold detection with an expanded detection range. Gene circuits were constructed by combining the toehold switch system with lactose operon, mercury-ion-specific operon, and inducible red fluorescent protein gene. Using MATLAB for design and selection, a total of eleven dual-input single-output sensing logic circuits were obtained based on the basic logic of gene circuit construction. Then, biosensor DTS-3 was selected based on its fluorescence response at different isopropyl β-D-Thiogalactoside (IPTG) concentrations, exhibiting the controllable detection threshold. At 5-20 μM IPTG, DTS-3 can achieve variable threshold detection in the range of 0.005-0.0075, 0.06-0.08, 1-2, and 4-6 μM mercury ion concentrations, respectively. Specificity experiments demonstrated that DTS-3 exhibits good specificity, not showing fluorescence response changes compared with other metal ions. Furthermore spiked sample experiments demonstrated its good resistance to interference, allowing it to distinguish mercury ion concentrations as low as 7.5 nM by the naked eye and 5 nM using a microplate reader. This study confirms the feasibility and performance of biosensor with controllable detection threshold, providing a new detection method and new ideas for expanding the detection range of biosensors while ensuring rapid and convenient measurements without compromising sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglong Zhang
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.
| | - Zixiang Wei
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China.
| | - Xiaoqiang Jia
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, PR China; Frontier Science Center for Synthetic Biology and Key Laboratory of Systems Bioengineering (MOE), School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300350, PR China.
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2
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Wu B, Ga L, Wang Y, Ai J. Recent Advances in the Application of Bionanosensors for the Analysis of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Environments. Molecules 2023; 29:34. [PMID: 38202619 PMCID: PMC10780001 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29010034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Heavy-metal ions (HMIs) as a pollutant, if not properly processed, used, and disposed of, will not only have an influence on the ecological environment but also pose significant health hazards to humans, making them a primary factor that endangers human health and harms the environment. Heavy metals come from a variety of sources, the most common of which are agriculture, industry, and sewerage. As a result, there is an urgent demand for portable, low-cost, and effective analytical tools. Bionanosensors have been rapidly developed in recent years due to their advantages of speed, mobility, and high sensitivity. To accomplish effective HMI pollution control, it is important not only to precisely pinpoint the source and content of pollution but also to perform real-time and speedy in situ detection of its composition. This study summarizes heavy-metal-ion (HMI) sensing research advances over the last five years (2019-2023), describing and analyzing major examples of electrochemical and optical bionanosensors for Hg2+, Cu2+, Pb2+, Cd2+, Cr6+, and Zn2+.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Wu
- College of Chemistry and Enviromental Science, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Inner Mongolia Normal University, 81 zhaowudalu, Hohhot 010022, China;
| | - Lu Ga
- College of Pharmacy, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Jinchuankaifaqu, Hohhot 010110, China;
| | - Yong Wang
- College of Geographical Science, Inner Mongolia Normal University, 81 Zhaowudalu, Hohhot 010022, China
| | - Jun Ai
- College of Chemistry and Enviromental Science, Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Inner Mongolia Normal University, 81 zhaowudalu, Hohhot 010022, China;
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Herrera-Domínguez M, Morales-Luna G, Mahlknecht J, Cheng Q, Aguilar-Hernández I, Ornelas-Soto N. Optical Biosensors and Their Applications for the Detection of Water Pollutants. BIOSENSORS 2023; 13:bios13030370. [PMID: 36979582 PMCID: PMC10046542 DOI: 10.3390/bios13030370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
The correct detection and quantification of pollutants in water is key to regulating their presence in the environment. Biosensors offer several advantages, such as minimal sample preparation, short measurement times, high specificity and sensibility and low detection limits. The purpose of this review is to explore the different types of optical biosensors, focusing on their biological elements and their principle of operation, as well as recent applications in the detection of pollutants in water. According to our literature review, 33% of the publications used fluorescence-based biosensors, followed by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) with 28%. So far, SPR biosensors have achieved the best results in terms of detection limits. Although less common (22%), interferometers and resonators (4%) are also highly promising due to the low detection limits that can be reached using these techniques. In terms of biological recognition elements, 43% of the published works focused on antibodies due to their high affinity and stability, although they could be replaced with molecularly imprinted polymers. This review offers a unique compilation of the most recent work in the specific area of optical biosensing for water monitoring, focusing on both the biological element and the transducer used, as well as the type of target contaminant. Recent technological advances are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcela Herrera-Domínguez
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
| | - Gesuri Morales-Luna
- Departamento de Física y Matemáticas, Universidad Iberoamericana, Prolongación Paseo de la Reforma 880, Mexico City 01219, Mexico
| | - Jürgen Mahlknecht
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
| | - Quan Cheng
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Iris Aguilar-Hernández
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
- Correspondence: (I.A.-H.); (N.O.-S.)
| | - Nancy Ornelas-Soto
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Ingeniería y Ciencias, Ave. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501, Monterrey 64849, Mexico
- Correspondence: (I.A.-H.); (N.O.-S.)
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4
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Boyd MA, Thavarajah W, Lucks JB, Kamat NP. Robust and tunable performance of a cell-free biosensor encapsulated in lipid vesicles. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadd6605. [PMID: 36598992 PMCID: PMC9812392 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.add6605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Cell-free systems have enabled the development of genetically encoded biosensors to detect a range of environmental and biological targets. Encapsulation of these systems in synthetic membranes to form artificial cells can reintroduce features of the cellular membrane, including molecular containment and selective permeability, to modulate cell-free sensing capabilities. Here, we demonstrate robust and tunable performance of a transcriptionally regulated, cell-free riboswitch encapsulated in lipid membranes, allowing the detection of fluoride, an environmentally important molecule. Sensor response can be tuned by varying membrane composition, and encapsulation protects from sensor degradation, facilitating detection in real-world samples. These sensors can detect fluoride using two types of genetically encoded outputs, enabling detection of fluoride at the Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 0.2 millimolars. This work demonstrates the capacity of bilayer membranes to confer tunable permeability to encapsulated, genetically encoded sensors and establishes the feasibility of artificial cell platforms to detect environmentally relevant small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margrethe A. Boyd
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Walter Thavarajah
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
| | - Julius B. Lucks
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Corresponding author. (N.P.K.); (J.B.L.)
| | - Neha P. Kamat
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA
- Corresponding author. (N.P.K.); (J.B.L.)
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5
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Patterson AT, Styczynski MP. Rapid and Finely-Tuned Expression for Deployable Sensing Applications. ADVANCES IN BIOCHEMICAL ENGINEERING/BIOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 186:141-161. [PMID: 37316621 DOI: 10.1007/10_2023_223] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Organisms from across the tree of life have evolved highly efficient mechanisms for sensing molecules of interest using biomolecular machinery that can in turn be quite valuable for the development of biosensors. However, purification of such machinery for use in in vitro biosensors is costly, while the use of whole cells as in vivo biosensors often leads to long sensor response times and unacceptable sensitivity to the chemical makeup of the sample. Cell-free expression systems overcome these weaknesses by removing the requirements associated with maintaining living sensor cells, allowing for increased function in toxic environments and rapid sensor readout at a production cost that is often more reasonable than purification. Here, we focus on the challenge of implementing cell-free protein expression systems that meet the stringent criteria required for them to serve as the basis for field-deployable biosensors. Fine-tuning expression to meet these requirements can be achieved through careful selection of the sensing and output elements, as well as through optimization of reaction conditions via tuning of DNA/RNA concentrations, lysate preparation methods, and buffer conditions. Through careful sensor engineering, cell-free systems can continue to be successfully used for the production of tightly regulated, rapidly expressing genetic circuits for biosensors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra T Patterson
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Mark P Styczynski
- School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
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6
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Zhang Y, Zhao C, Bi H, Zhang X, Xue B, Li C, Wang S, Yang X, Qiu Z, Wang J, Shen Z. A cell-free paper-based biosensor dependent on allosteric transcription factors (aTFs) for on-site detection of harmful metals Hg 2+ and Pb 2+ in water. JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS 2022; 438:129499. [PMID: 35816794 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2022.129499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Water quality monitoring requires a reliable and practical on-site detection method for heavy metal ions. Combining an in vitro transcription (IVT) technology with allosteric transcription factors (aTFs), we developed a cell-free paper-based biosensor for on-site detection of Hg2+ and Pb2+ in water. Suitable aTFs screened using surface plasmon resonance (SPR) were employed for building biosensors. ATFs could disassociate from DNA due to their specific affinity to metal ions, and fluorescent RNA was transcribed as a signal. The developed biosensor could quantitatively detect Hg2+ in a linear dynamic range of 0.5-500 nM and Pb2+ in a 1-250 nM range in a 1 h period. The LOD of the biosensor was 0.5 nM for Hg2+ and 0.1 nM for Pb2+. The recoveries ranged from 91.09% to 123.24% for actual water samples detection. Furthermore, freeze-drying was used to create a paper-based biosensor that could detect Hg2+ and Pb2+ simultaneously on-site. This research presents a useful technique for various heavy metal ion detections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongkang Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chen Zhao
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Huaixiu Bi
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China; College of Food Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xi Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Bin Xue
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Chenyu Li
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Shang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Xiaobo Yang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Zhigang Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China
| | - Jingfeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control for Environment & Food Safety, Tianjin 300050, China.
| | - Zhiqiang Shen
- Tianjin Institute of Environmental and Operational Medicine, Tianjin 300050, China.
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7
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Somayaji A, Sarkar S, Balasubramaniam S, Raval R. Synthetic biology techniques to tackle heavy metal pollution and poisoning. Synth Syst Biotechnol 2022; 7:841-846. [PMID: 35572766 PMCID: PMC9078997 DOI: 10.1016/j.synbio.2022.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The requirement for natural resources and energy increases continually with the increase in population. An inevitable result of this is soil, water, and air pollution with diverse pollutants, including heavy metals. Synthetic Biology involves using modular, interchangeable biological parts, devices in standard chassis or whole organisms to achieve a programmed result that can be quantified and optimized till it meets the required efficiency. This makes synthetic biology techniques very popular to tackle pressing global issues such as heavy metal poisoning. This review aimed to highlight various advancements as well as benefits, risks, and problems in synthetic biology techniques for detection, bioaccumulation, and biosorption of various heavy metals using engineered organisms. We found that while such an approach is cost-effective, accessible, and efficient, there are several inherent technological and ethical issues including but not limited to metabolic burden and consequences of use of genetically modified organisms respectively. Overcoming these hurdles will probably take time and innumerable conversations, and should be done through education and a culture of responsible research, rather than enforcing restrictions on the development of synthetic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adithi Somayaji
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Manipal BioMachines, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Soumodeep Sarkar
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Manipal BioMachines, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Shravan Balasubramaniam
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Manipal BioMachines, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
| | - Ritu Raval
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
- Manipal BioMachines, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, India
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8
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Transcription Factor-Based Biosensors for Detecting Pathogens. BIOSENSORS 2022; 12:bios12070470. [PMID: 35884273 PMCID: PMC9312912 DOI: 10.3390/bios12070470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Microorganisms are omnipresent and inseparable from our life. Many of them are beneficial to humans, while some are not. Importantly, foods and beverages are susceptible to microbial contamination, with their toxins causing illnesses and even death in some cases. Therefore, monitoring and detecting harmful microorganisms are critical to ensuring human health and safety. For several decades, many methods have been developed to detect and monitor microorganisms and their toxicants. Conventionally, nucleic acid analysis and antibody-based analysis were used to detect pathogens. Additionally, diverse chromatographic methods were employed to detect toxins based on their chemical and structural properties. However, conventional techniques have several disadvantages concerning analysis time, sensitivity, and expense. With the advances in biotechnology, new approaches to detect pathogens and toxins have been reported to compensate for the disadvantages of conventional analysis from different research fields, including electrochemistry, nanotechnology, and molecular biology. Among them, we focused on the recent studies of transcription factor (TF)-based biosensors to detect microorganisms and discuss their perspectives and applications. Additionally, the other biosensors for detecting microorganisms reported in recent studies were also introduced in this review.
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9
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Sahu S, Roy R, Anand R. Harnessing the Potential of Biological Recognition Elements for Water Pollution Monitoring. ACS Sens 2022; 7:704-715. [PMID: 35275620 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c02579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Environmental monitoring of pollutants is an imperative first step to remove the genotoxic, embryotoxic, and carcinogenic toxins. Various biological sensing elements such as proteins, aptamers, whole cells, etc., have been used to track down major pollutants, including heavy metals, aromatic pollutants, pathogenic microorganisms, and pesticides in both environmental samples and drinking water, demonstrating their potential in a true sense. The intermixed use of nanomaterials, electronics, and microfluidic systems has further improved the design and enabled robust on-site detection with enhanced sensitivity. Through this perspective, we shed light on the advances in the field and entail recent efforts to optimize these systems for real-time, online sensing and on-site field monitoring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhankar Sahu
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Rohita Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Ruchi Anand
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
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10
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Beabout K, Bernhards CB, Thakur M, Turner KB, Cole SD, Walper SA, Chávez JL, Lux MW. Optimization of Heavy Metal Sensors Based on Transcription Factors and Cell-Free Expression Systems. ACS Synth Biol 2021; 10:3040-3054. [PMID: 34723503 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.1c00331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Many bacterial mechanisms for highly specific and sensitive detection of heavy metals and other hazards have been reengineered to serve as sensors. In some cases, these sensors have been implemented in cell-free expression systems, enabling easier design optimization and deployment in low-resource settings through lyophilization. Here, we apply the advantages of cell-free expression systems to optimize sensors based on three separate bacterial response mechanisms for arsenic, cadmium, and mercury. We achieved detection limits below the World Health Organization-recommended levels for arsenic and mercury and below the short-term US Military Exposure Guideline levels for all three. The optimization of each sensor was approached differently, leading to observations useful for the development of future sensors: (1) there can be a strong dependence of specificity on the particular cell-free expression system used, (2) tuning of relative concentrations of the sensing and reporter elements improves sensitivity, and (3) sensor performance can vary significantly with linear vs plasmid DNA. In addition, we show that simply combining DNA for the three sensors into a single reaction enables detection of each target heavy metal without any further optimization. This combined approach could lead to sensors that detect a range of hazards at once, such as a panel of water contaminants or all known variants of a target virus. For low-resource settings, such "all-hazard" sensors in a cheap, easy-to-use format could have high utility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Beabout
- UES, Inc., Dayton, Ohio 45432, United States
- Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Casey B. Bernhards
- Excet, Inc., 6225 Brandon Avenue #360, Springfield, Virginia 22150, United States
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, 8198 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, United States
| | - Meghna Thakur
- Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
- College of Science, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia 22030, United States
| | - Kendrick B. Turner
- Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Stephanie D. Cole
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, 8198 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, United States
| | - Scott A. Walper
- Naval Research Laboratory, 4555 Overlook Avenue SW, Washington, D.C. 20375, United States
| | - Jorge L. Chávez
- Air Force Research Laboratory, 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Matthew W. Lux
- U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command Chemical Biological Center, 8198 Blackhawk Road, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland 21010, United States
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11
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Yadav N, Garg VK, Chhillar AK, Rana JS. Detection and remediation of pollutants to maintain ecosustainability employing nanotechnology: A review. CHEMOSPHERE 2021; 280:130792. [PMID: 34162093 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 04/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Environmental deterioration due to anthropogenic activities is a threat to sustainable, clean and green environment. Accumulation of hazardous chemicals pollutes soil, water and air and thus significantly affects all the ecosystems. This article highlight the challenges associated with various conventional techniques such as filtration, absorption, flocculation, coagulation, chromatographic and mass spectroscopic techniques. Environmental nanotechnology has provided an innovative frontier to combat the aforesaid issues of sustainable environment by reducing the non-requisite use of raw materials, electricity, excessive use of agrochemicals and release of industrial effluents into water bodies. Various nanotechnology based approaches including surface enhance scattering, surface plasmon resonance; and distinct types of nanoparticles like silver, silicon oxide and zinc oxide have contributed significantly in detection of environmental pollutants. Biosensing technology has also gained significant attention for detection and remediation of pollutants. Furthermore, nanoparticles of gold, ferric oxide and manganese oxide have been used for the on-site remediation of antibiotics, organic dyes, pesticides, and heavy metals. Recently, green nanomaterials have been given more attention to address toxicity issues of chemically synthesized nanomaterials. Hence, nanotechnology has provided a platform with tremendous applications to have sustainable environment for present as well as future generations. This review article will help to understand the fundamentals for achieving the goals of sustainable development, and healthy environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelam Yadav
- Department of Biotechnology, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, Sonepat, Haryana, 131039, India; Centre for Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, 124001, India.
| | - Vinod Kumar Garg
- Department of Environmental Science and Technology, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151001, India.
| | - Anil Kumar Chhillar
- Centre for Biotechnology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana, 124001, India
| | - Jogender Singh Rana
- Department of Biotechnology, Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, Murthal, Sonepat, Haryana, 131039, India
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12
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Fluorescent functional nucleic acid: Principles, properties and applications in bioanalyzing. Trends Analyt Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2021.116292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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13
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Roy R, Ray S, Chowdhury A, Anand R. Tunable Multiplexed Whole-Cell Biosensors as Environmental Diagnostics for ppb-Level Detection of Aromatic Pollutants. ACS Sens 2021; 6:1933-1939. [PMID: 33973468 DOI: 10.1021/acssensors.1c00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Aromatics such as phenols, benzene, and toluene are carcinogenic xenobiotics which are known to pollute water resources. By employing synthetic biology approaches combined with a structure-guided design, we created a tunable array of whole-cell biosensors (WCBs). The MopR genetic system that has the natural ability to sense and degrade phenol was adapted to detect phenol down to ∼1 ppb, making this sensor capable of directly detecting phenol in permissible limits in drinking water. Importantly, by using a single WCB design, we engineered mutations into the MopR gene that enabled generation of a battery of sensors for a wide array of pollutants. The engineered WCBs were able to sense inert compounds like benzene and xylene which lack active functional groups, without any loss in sensitivity. Overall, this universal programmable biosensor platform can be used to create WCBs that can be deployed on field for rapid testing and screening of suitable drinking water sources.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohita Roy
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Shamayeeta Ray
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Arindam Chowdhury
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
| | - Ruchi Anand
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Powai, Mumbai 400076, India
- DBT-Welcome Trust India Alliance Senior Fellow, Mumbai 400076, India
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14
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Ali SA, Mittal D, Kaur G. In-situ monitoring of xenobiotics using genetically engineered whole-cell-based microbial biosensors: recent advances and outlook. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:81. [PMID: 33843020 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03024-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Industrialisation, directly or indirectly, exposes humans to various xenobiotics. The increased magnitude of chemical pesticides and toxic heavy metals in the environment, as well as their intrusion into the food chain, seriously threatens human health. Therefore, the surveillance of xenobiotics is crucial for social safety and security. Online investigation by traditional methods is not sufficient for the detection and identification of such compounds because of the high costs and their complexity. Advancement in the field of genetic engineering provides a potential opportunity to use genetically modified microorganisms. In this regard, whole-cell-based microbial biosensors (WCBMB) represent an essential tool that couples genetically engineered organisms with an operator/promoter derived from a heavy metal-resistant operon combined with a regulatory protein in the gene circuit. The plasmid controls the expression of the reporter gene, such as gfp, luc, lux and lacZ, to an inducible gene promoter and has been widely applied to assay toxicity and bioavailability. This review summarises the recent trends in the development and application of microbial biosensors and the use of mobile genes for biomedical and environmental safety concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Syed Azmal Ali
- Proteomics and Cell Biology Lab, Animal Biotechnology Center, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India. .,Proteomics and Cell Biology Lab, Animal Biotechnology Center, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, 132001, Karnal, Haryana, India.
| | - Deepti Mittal
- Animal Biochemistry Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, India
| | - Gurjeet Kaur
- Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, 2052, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Trends in sensor development toward next-generation point-of-care testing for mercury. Biosens Bioelectron 2021; 183:113228. [PMID: 33862396 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2021.113228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is one of the most common heavy metals and a major environmental pollutant that affects ecosystems. Since mercury and its compounds are toxic to humans, even at low concentrations, it is very important to monitor mercury contamination in water and foods. Although conventional mercury detection methods, including inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, exhibit excellent sensitivity and accuracy, they require operation by an expert in a sophisticated and fully controlled laboratory environment. To overcome these limitations and realize point-of-care testing, many novel methods for direct sample analysis in the field have recently been developed by improving the speed and simplicity of detection. Commonly, these unconventional sensors rely on colorimetric, fluorescence, or electrochemical mechanisms to transduce signals from mercury. In the case of colorimetric and fluorescent sensors, benchtop methods have gradually evolved through technology convergence to give standalone platforms, such as paper-based assays and lab-on-a-chip systems, and portable measurement devices, such as smartphones. Electrochemical sensors that use screen-printed electrodes with carbon or metal nanomaterials or hybrid materials to improve sensitivity and stability also provide promising detection platforms. This review summarizes the current state of sensor platforms for the on-field detection of mercury with a focus on key features and recent developments. Furthermore, trends for next-generation mercury sensors are suggested based on a paradigm shift to the active integration of cutting-edge technologies, such as drones, systems based on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and three-dimensional printing, and high-quality smartphones.
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Ma N, Ren X, Wang H, Kuang X, Fan D, Wu D, Wei Q. Ultrasensitive Controlled Release Aptasensor Using Thymine–Hg2+–Thymine Mismatch as a Molecular Switch for Hg2+ Detection. Anal Chem 2020; 92:14069-14075. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.0c03110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ning Ma
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Xiang Ren
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Huan Wang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Xuan Kuang
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Dawei Fan
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Dan Wu
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
| | - Qin Wei
- Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Chemical Manufacturing and Accurate Detection, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Jinan, Jinan 250022, P. R. China
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Zhang L, Guo W, Lu Y. Advances in Cell‐Free Biosensors: Principle, Mechanism, and Applications. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e2000187. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.202000187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liyuan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis Ministry of Education Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
- Department of Ecology Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang Liaoning Province 110866 China
| | - Wei Guo
- Department of Ecology Shenyang Agricultural University Shenyang Liaoning Province 110866 China
| | - Yuan Lu
- Key Laboratory of Industrial Biocatalysis Ministry of Education Department of Chemical Engineering Tsinghua University Beijing 100084 China
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18
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Lu Y, Yang Q, Wu J. Recent advances in biosensor-integrated enrichment methods for preconcentrating and detecting the low-abundant analytes in agriculture and food samples. Trends Analyt Chem 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trac.2020.115914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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19
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Kelwick RJR, Webb AJ, Freemont PS. Biological Materials: The Next Frontier for Cell-Free Synthetic Biology. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:399. [PMID: 32478045 PMCID: PMC7235315 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00399] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Advancements in cell-free synthetic biology are enabling innovations in sustainable biomanufacturing, that may ultimately shift the global manufacturing paradigm toward localized and ecologically harmonized production processes. Cell-free synthetic biology strategies have been developed for the bioproduction of fine chemicals, biofuels and biological materials. Cell-free workflows typically utilize combinations of purified enzymes, cell extracts for biotransformation or cell-free protein synthesis reactions, to assemble and characterize biosynthetic pathways. Importantly, cell-free reactions can combine the advantages of chemical engineering with metabolic engineering, through the direct addition of co-factors, substrates and chemicals -including those that are cytotoxic. Cell-free synthetic biology is also amenable to automatable design cycles through which an array of biological materials and their underpinning biosynthetic pathways can be tested and optimized in parallel. Whilst challenges still remain, recent convergences between the materials sciences and these advancements in cell-free synthetic biology enable new frontiers for materials research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J. R. Kelwick
- Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander J. Webb
- Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Paul S. Freemont
- Section of Structural and Synthetic Biology, Department of Infectious Disease, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- The London Biofoundry, Imperial College Translation & Innovation Hub, London, United Kingdom
- UK Dementia Research Institute Care Research and Technology Centre, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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Thavarajah W, Silverman AD, Verosloff MS, Kelley-Loughnane N, Jewett MC, Lucks JB. Point-of-Use Detection of Environmental Fluoride via a Cell-Free Riboswitch-Based Biosensor. ACS Synth Biol 2020; 9:10-18. [PMID: 31829623 PMCID: PMC7412506 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.9b00347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Advances in biosensor engineering have enabled the design of programmable molecular systems to detect a range of pathogens, nucleic acids, and chemicals. Here, we engineer and field-test a biosensor for fluoride, a major groundwater contaminant of global concern. The sensor consists of a cell-free system containing a DNA template that encodes a fluoride-responsive riboswitch regulating genes that produce a fluorescent or colorimetric output. Individual reactions can be lyophilized for long-term storage and detect fluoride at levels above 2 ppm, the Environmental Protection Agency's most stringent regulatory standard, in both laboratory and field conditions. Through onsite detection of fluoride in a real-world water source, this work provides a critical proof-of-principle for the future engineering of riboswitches and other biosensors to address challenges for global health and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Thavarajah
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Adam D. Silverman
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Matthew S. Verosloff
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Graduate Program, Northwestern University, 2204 Tech Drive, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Nancy Kelley-Loughnane
- Materials and Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio 45433, United States
| | - Michael C. Jewett
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Julius B. Lucks
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Synthetic Biology, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Center for Water Research, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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Soleja N, Jairajpuri MA, Queen A, Mohsin M. Genetically encoded FRET-based optical sensor for Hg 2+ detection and intracellular imaging in living cells. J Ind Microbiol Biotechnol 2019; 46:1669-1683. [PMID: 31531745 DOI: 10.1007/s10295-019-02235-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Due to the potential toxicity of mercury, there is an immediate need to understand its uptake, transport and flux within living cells. Conventional techniques used to analyze Hg2+ are invasive, involve high cost and are less sensitive. In the present study, a highly efficient genetically encoded mercury FRET sensor (MerFS) was developed to measure the cellular dynamics of Hg2+ at trace level in real time. To construct MerFS, the periplasmic mercury-binding protein MerP was sandwiched between enhanced cyan fluorescent protein (ECFP) and venus. MerFS is pH stable, offers a measurable fluorescent signal and binds to Hg2+ with high sensitivity and selectivity. Mutant MerFS-51 binds with an apparent affinity (Kd) of 5.09 × 10-7 M, thus providing a detection range for Hg2+ quantification between 0.210 µM and 1.196 µM. Furthermore, MerFS-51 was targeted to Escherichia coli (E. coli), yeast and human embryonic kidney (HEK)-293T cells that allowed dynamic measurement of intracellular Hg2+ concentration with a highly responsive saturation curve, proving its potential application in cellular systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neha Soleja
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | | | - Aarfa Queen
- Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Mohd Mohsin
- Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India.
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