Evaluation of the Ecotoxicity of Pollutants with Bioluminescent Microorganisms

Abstract

This chapter deals with the use of bioluminescent microorganisms in environmental monitoring, particularly in the assessment of the ecotoxicity of pollutants. Toxicity bioassays based on bioluminescent microorganisms are an interesting complement to classical toxicity assays, providing easiness of use, rapid response, mass production, and cost effectiveness. A description of the characteristics and main environmental applications in ecotoxicity testing of naturally bioluminescent microorganisms, covering bacteria and eukaryotes such as fungi and dinoglagellates, is reported in this chapter. The main features and applications of a wide variety of recombinant bioluminescent microorganisms, both prokaryotic and eukaryotic, are also summarized and critically considered. Quantitative structure-activity relationship models and hormesis are two important concepts in ecotoxicology; bioluminescent microorganisms have played a pivotal role in their development. As pollutants usually occur in complex mixtures in the environment, the use of both natural and recombinant bioluminescent microorganisms to assess mixture toxicity has been discussed. The main information has been summarized in tables, allowing quick consultation of the variety of luminescent organisms, bioluminescence gene systems, commercially available bioluminescent tests, environmental applications, and relevant references.

Defining an additivity framework for mixture research in inducible whole-cell biosensors

“…As shown by the experiments with varying mixture ratios, this was true even when individual chemicals were present above or below the MPCs. This equals the potential applicability of inducible whole cell biosensors in mixture risk assessment with the same conditions and scope than those of monotonic toxicity tests, or turn-off whole cell biosensors such as Microtox 23 24 . This increases the opportunities of inducible whole cell biosensors to be included in future regulatory frameworks which will explicitly consider mixture risk assessment 1 25 .…”

Applications of bioluminescence in biotechnology and beyond

“…Bioluminescent bacteria are often used as biosensors in ecotoxicological studies as these can often be tuned to detect concentrations of a variety of different organic (alcohol, carboxylic acids, aromatic compounds) and inorganic substances (heavy metal ions). [118][119][120] Moreover, bioluminescent bacteria are also being used to create unique glowing artwork and proposals have been suggested to use them in indoor aquariums as part of aesthetic architecture in skyscrapers. 121 As both bacterial luciferase and luciferin are encoded for in the lux operon, this has led to limited mutations in the native luciferase structure and no mutations to the luciferin, although shorter-chain aldehydes are also tolerated and as expected result in no change in wavelength of the light emitted.…”

A toxicological study on photo-degradation products of environmental ibuprofen: Ecological and human health implications

“…Acute Toxicity-Bioluminescence is a well-known energy-dependent (ATP, adenosine triphosphate) process (Fernández-Piñas et al, 2014). Luciferase, the enzyme responsible for producing bioluminescence, catalyzes the oxidation of reduced flavin mononucleotide (FMNH2) and a long-chain fatty acid aldehyde in aerobic environment.…”