Environmental Biosensors: A Microbiological View

In this mini-review, the potential of using microorganisms to design biosensors for detecting environmental pollutants is analyzed and discussed. A distinction is made between a classical biosensor (CB) and a whole-cell biosensor (WCB), emphasizing their structural components and the possibility of...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Gutiérrez Fernández, Juan Carlos, Amaro Torres, Francisco, Díaz del Toro, Silvia, Martín González, Ana María
Tipo de recurso: capítulo de libro
Fecha de publicación:2020
País:España
Institución:Universidad Complutense de Madrid (UCM)
Repositorio:Docta Complutense
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:docta.ucm.es:20.500.14352/8763
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/8763
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:579
environmental pollutants
microbial biosensors
metal(loid)s
riboswitches
two-component systems
xenobiotics
Microbiología (Biología)
2414 Microbiología
Descripción
Sumario:In this mini-review, the potential of using microorganisms to design biosensors for detecting environmental pollutants is analyzed and discussed. A distinction is made between a classical biosensor (CB) and a whole-cell biosensor (WCB), emphasizing their structural components and the possibility of using whole microorganisms as their bioreceptor elements. The advantages and disadvantages of using prokaryotic microorganisms as opposed to eukaryotic microorganisms are described. Likewise, the advantages of using protozoa ciliates) over other eukaryotic microorganisms are also shown. We analyze the current bibliography on biosensors built on microorganisms as bioreceptors of pollutant molecules, such as inorganic (metal (loid)s) or organic (xenobiotics). New trends, such as the prokaryotic riboswitches, microbial two-component systems where the pollutant can be simultaneously detected and bioremediated, along with advances in synthetic biology, are shown as promising tools in the design of environmental biosensors.