Trials of lux-Biosensors in Expeditions to the Northern Seas: Barents, Kara, and Laptev

Abstract

Bacterial biosensors based on the Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis whole cells are used to study toxicological characteristics of biologically active compounds and toxicants, and are applicable for ecological studies. This work describes the trials of lux-biosensors in the marine research expedition in the northern seas: Barents, Kara, and Laptev. The presence of toxicants in samples of bottom sediments and tissues of marine invertebrates was estimated by the activation of stress promoters in biosensor cells. It was shown that the collected samples generally did not show toxicological characteristics in terms of the ability to activate oxidative stress and SOS response. However, several samples were able to activate transcription of the DNA glycosylase promoter in biosensor bacterial cells. This effect was shown for some samples of bottom sediments and arthropod tissues from Mesidothea sabini var. sabini., Pycnogonida and some Amphipoda.