Open AccessSensitive Whole-Cell Biosensor Suitable for Detecting a Variety of N -Acyl Homoserine Lactones in Intact Rhizosphere Microbial Communities
Author(s) -
Kristen M. DeAngelis,
Mary K. Firestone,
Steven E. Lindow
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
applied and environmental microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.552
H-Index - 324
eISSN - 1070-6291
pISSN - 0099-2240
DOI - 10.1128/aem.02187-06
Subject(s) - rhizosphere , quorum sensing , homoserine , biosensor , agrobacterium tumefaciens , bacteria , biology , soil microbiology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , gene , biofilm , transgene , genetics
To investigate quorum sensing in rhizosphere soil, a whole-cell biosensor,Agrobacterium tumefaciens (pAHL-Ice), was constructed. The biosensor responded to allN -acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) tested, except C4 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.