Steroid hormone-inducible biosensor based on EGFP-tagged and environmental application

Steroid hormones as a class of emerging organic pollutant and high concern, due to their potential risks for human and environmental. Accurate analytical methods of steroid hormones are necessary in quantifying and monitoring. Biosensor is a promising technique. In this study, though part of 3 alpha-HSD DNA to construct a regulatory plasmid and with the EGFP reporter gene to generate a reporter plasmid. Separately transformed into Escherichia coli strain BL21 and extracted the cell lysates as novel biosensor reagents. Analyzed the total amounts of steroid hormones in water, sediment, and soil samples using biosensor reagents, and compared these results with those obtained by HPLC. In summary, detection method using an EGFP reporter that can detect trace amounts of steroid hormones to reached fg/L. The optimal reaction time range and temperature were 30 min and 30 degrees C, respectively, while the most suitable organic solvent for the steroid hormone was 100% ethanol, up to 96well plate format. This method is very suitable for high-throughput detection of environmental steroid hormone pollutants.

Automated summary

This study successfully detected trace amounts of steroid hormone pollutants in water, sediment, and soil using a biosensor method. The method demonstrated high sensitivity and throughput.