Author(s):
Mendes, Filipa ; Miranda, Eduarda ; Amaral, Leslie Ann Silva ; Carvalho, Carla ; Castro, Bruno B. ; Sousa, Maria João ; Chaves, Susana Alexandra Rodrigues
Date: 2024
Persistent ID: https://hdl.handle.net/1822/91112
Origin: RepositóriUM - Universidade do Minho
Project/scholarship:
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDB%2F04050%2F2020/PT;
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/POR_NORTE/SFRH%2FBD%2F147574%2F2019/PT;
Subject(s): Analytical tools; Anti-fungal substances; Engineered biosensor; Ergosterol biosynthesis pathway; Pesticide monitoring
Description
Abstract: Due to increasing demand for high and stable crop production, human populations are highly dependent on pesticide use for growing and storing food. Environmental monitoring of these agrochemicals is therefore of utmost importance, because of their collateral effects on ecosystem and human health. Even though most current-use analytical methods achieve low detection limits, they require procedures that are too complex and costly for routine monitoring. As such, there has been an increased interest in biosensors as alternative or complementary tools to streamline detection and quantification of environmental contaminants. In this work, we developed a biosensor for environmental monitoring of tebuconazole (TEB), a common agrochemical fungicide. For that purpose, we engineered S. cerevisiae cells with a reporter gene downstream of specific promoters that are expressed after exposure to TEB and characterized the sensitivity and specificity of this model system. After optimization, we found that this easy-to-use biosensor consistently detects TEB at concentrations above 5 μg L−1 and does not respond to realistic environmental concentrations of other tested azoles, suggesting it is specific. We propose the use of this system as a complementary tool in environmental monitoring programs, namely, in high throughput scenarios requiring screening of numerous samples. Key points: • A yeast-based biosensor was developed for environmental monitoring of tebuconazole. •The biosensor offers a rapid and easy method for tebuconazole detection ≥ 5 μg L −1 . •The biosensor is specific to tebuconazole at environmentally relevant concentrations.
This work was supported by national funds (through the Portuguese Science Foundation, FCT) and by the European Regional Development Fund (through COMPETE2020 and PT2020) by means of the research project FunG-Eye (POCI-01-0145-FEDER-029505). Additionally, this work was also supported by national funds (Portuguese Science Foundation, FCT) via the institutional programs UIDB/04050/2020 (CBMA, https://doi.org/10.54499/UIDB/04050/2020) and LA/P/0069/2020 (ARNET). FM was supported by a PhD scholarship from FCT (SFRH/BD/147574/2019).