2003 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary
Research on the new biotechnology for specific detection of environmental contamination by hazardous heavy metals.
| Project/Area Number |
13450216
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| Research Category |
Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
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| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
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| Section | 一般 |
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| Research Field |
Civil and environmental engineering
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| Research Institution | Tohoku Gakuin University |
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Principal Investigator |
ENDO Ginro Tohoku Gakuin University, Faculty of Engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (80194033)
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| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
NARITA Masaru Tohoku Gakuin University, Faculty of Engineering, Japan Sodiety for the Promotion of Science, Postdoctoral Research Fellow(PD), 工学部, 日本学術振興会 特別研究員(PD)
UMITA Teruyuki Iwate University, Faculty of engineering, Professor, 工学部, 教授 (30117072)
PAN-HOU Hidemitsu Setsunan University, Faculty of Pharmacy, Professor, 薬学部, 教授 (80101294)
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| Project Period (FY) |
2001 – 2003
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| Keywords | heavy metal contamination / biosensor / gene expression system / bio-luminescence gene / mercury resistance operon / quantitative analysis technology |
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| Research Abstract |
Heavy metal contamination of soil or water has been frequent as a severe environmental problem in industrialized countries through th 20 century. Recently, this problem is recognized as a very dangerous health problem in developing countries. To prevent and solve this environmental problem, we aimed development of biosensor technology for selective detection of health affecting heavy metals using an induced gene expression system by bacterial cells. This research work was done to develop more sensitive heavy metal biosensors than conventional analytical methods.
The two major results derived from this research project are as follows.
(1) Using bacterial luminescence genes (lux) as reporter genes, we developed a detection system of organomercurial compounds in the environment: A new organomercury lyase genes, merB's, from a broad-spectrum mercury resistant bacterial strain, Bacillus magaterlum MB1, was used to construct merB3-luciferase (mer-lux) transcriptional fusion plasmids. Another piasmid encoding an operator/promoter sequence and mer operon genes from the same B. megaterlum MB1 was constructed and used as a transacting gene expression vector with the mer-lux fusion plasmids in a Escherlchla coll cell. The transformant with different merB genes fusion plasmids and a lux gene expression plasmids showed deferent response to alkyl-or aromatic-organomercurials tested in this study.
(2) Very low concentration of inorganic mercury could be detected by newly developed biosensor devise bacterial cells. The bacterial cells transformed with lux genes, merR and merTgenes gene expression plasmids showed pM level mercury contamination. This sensitivity is about one hundred times higher than those of conventional analytical methods such as an atomic absorption method or an ion coupling plasma-mass spectrometory.
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Research Products
(22 results)
