Sensitive whole-cell biosensor suitable for detecting a variety of N-acyl homoserine lactones in intact rhizosphere microbial communities

Kristen M DeAngelis; Mary K Firestone; Steven E Lindow

doi:10.1128/AEM.02187-06

Sensitive whole-cell biosensor suitable for detecting a variety of N-acyl homoserine lactones in intact rhizosphere microbial communities

Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007 Jun;73(11):3724-7. doi: 10.1128/AEM.02187-06. Epub 2007 Mar 30.

Authors

Kristen M DeAngelis¹, Mary K Firestone, Steven E Lindow

Affiliation

¹ Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA.

Abstract

To investigate quorum sensing in rhizosphere soil, a whole-cell biosensor, Agrobacterium tumefaciens(pAHL-Ice), was constructed. The biosensor responded to all N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) tested, except C(4) homoserine lactone, with a minimum detection limit of 10(-12) M, as well as to both exogenously added AHLs and AHL-producing bacterial strains in soil. This highly sensitive biosensor reveals for the first time the increased AHL availability in intact rhizosphere microbial communities compared to that in bulk soil.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

4-Butyrolactone / analogs & derivatives*
4-Butyrolactone / analysis
Agrobacterium tumefaciens / chemistry
Agrobacterium tumefaciens / genetics
Bacterial Physiological Phenomena*
Biosensing Techniques / methods*
Genetic Vectors
Plasmids / genetics
Quorum Sensing / physiology*
Soil Microbiology*

Substances

homoserine lactone
4-Butyrolactone