Detecting Changes in the Caenorhabditis elegans Intestinal Environment Using an Engineered Bacterial Biosensor.
ACS Synth Biol
; 8(12): 2620-2628, 2019 12 20.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31657907
ABSTRACT
Caenorhabditis elegans has become a key model organism within biology. In particular, the transparent gut, rapid growing time, and ability to create a defined gut microbiota make it an ideal candidate organism for understanding and engineering the host microbiota. Here we present the development of an experimental model that can be used to characterize whole-cell bacterial biosensors in vivo. A dual-plasmid sensor system responding to isopropyl ß-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside was developed and fully characterized in vitro. Subsequently, we show that the sensor was capable of detecting and reporting on changes in the intestinal environment of C. elegans after introducing an exogenous inducer into the environment. The protocols presented here may be used to aid the rational design of engineered bacterial circuits, primarily for diagnostic applications. In addition, the model system may serve to reduce the use of current animal models and aid in the exploration of complex questions within general nematode and host-microbe biology.
Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Bacteria
/
Biosensing Techniques
/
Genetic Engineering
/
Caenorhabditis elegans
/
Intestines
Type of study:
Guideline
Limits:
Animals
Language:
En
Journal:
ACS Synth Biol
Year:
2019
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom