Overview
This paper describes a whole-cell biosensor augmented with a synthetic biological digestion gene circuit designed to overcome matrix interference during mercury (Hg2+) detection in complex food samples. The gene circuit automates the digestion of organic matter within the bacterial host, eliminating the need for manual acid digestion steps and enabling more direct detection of Hg2+ in food matrices including fish, rice, shellfish, and black beans. The study validates sensor performance using spiked samples and reports recovery rates, but does not measure actual Hg concentrations in commercially sourced or environmental food samples.
Key numbers
- LOD: 0.082 µM (detection limit); LOQ: 0.272 µM
- Validated food matrices: fish, rice, shellfish, black beans (all spiked)
- Recovery rates: satisfactory across all four matrices (exact values in paper tables)
- Published in Foods 2025, 14, 3798 (MDPI)
Methods (brief)
Whole-cell biosensor incorporating a mer-operon-based Hg-responsive gene circuit, modified with a biological digestion cassette expressed in E. coli. Fluorescence signal output correlates with Hg2+ concentration. Method compared against ICP-MS for validation on spiked samples. Total mercury only (not speciated).
Implications
Certification: Not applicable — no occurrence data from commercial or environmental food sources. Courses: Useful as an example of synthetic biology applied to food safety rapid testing, particularly for Hg in seafood and grain matrices. App: No contamination profile data extractable. Microbiome: Not applicable.
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Update history
The five most recent substantive edits to this page, classified major (evidence or structure moved), correction (a published value or statement was wrong and has been fixed), or minor (narrative rewritten without changing the underlying evidence). Each description is derived from what the edit did to this page; the linked commit is the authoritative record, routine regeneration passes are excluded, and the full version history lives in git. When DOI minting comes online (see schema docs), each entry below will also link to a version-pinned DataCite DOI.
| Commit | Date | Change | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| a8052bb | 2026-08-09 | major | 6 sections added; narrative text revised |