Questions, Feedback & Help
Send us an email and we'll get back to you ASAP. Or you can read our Frequently Asked Questions.
  • page settings
  • hide sidebar
  • show empty fields
  • layout
  • (too narrow)
  • open all
  • close all
Resources » Paper

Stormberg A. I. et al. (2006) European Worm Meeting "Use of Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (HS-1 line) for Detection of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Media"

  • History

  • Referenced

  • Tree Display

  • My Favorites

  • My Library

  • Comments on Stormberg A. I. et al. (2006) European Worm Meeting "Use of Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (HS-1 line) for Detection of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Media" (0)

  • Overview

    Status:
    Publication type:
    Meeting_abstract
    WormBase ID:
    WBPaper00027584

    Stormberg A. I., Barnes J. M., Humphries S., Glenn T., & Williams P. L. (2006). Use of Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (HS-1 line) for Detection of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Media presented in European Worm Meeting. Unpublished information; cite only with author permission.

    Use of Transgenic Caenorhabditis elegans (HS-1 line) for Detection of Heavy Metals in Aquatic Media Stormberg A. I.1, Barnes, J. M.1, Humphries S.2, Glenn T.3, and Williams P. L.4. Detection and quantification of contaminants in water and soil continues to be of paramount importance in all areas of human activities, especially in those where waste is generated, treated and disposed-of. Bioassays have become the standard method for monitoring hazardous waste, and numerous approaches exist in the literature describing the use of invertebrates as sentinels for environmental health. In this study we describe a rapid, inexpensive assay of contaminant bioavailability. We used a transgenic line (HS-1) of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to develop dose-response assays for aqueous solutions of cadmium, zinc, mercury, lead, and nickel. This transgenic line carries an integrated promoter from the C. elegans metallothionein-2 gene (mtl-2), which controls the transcription of the green fluorescence protein (GFP). This line provides a very fast and sensitive assay for heavy metal exposure since the response can be directly detected with a fluorimeter and does not require additional reagents or co-factors. At high metal concentrations, the system requires only 4 hours of exposure and at lower levels, up to 24 hours.. This study shows that there is a positive correlation between the concentration of the specific metal used in the assay and the fluorescent emission. Work in progress will focus on testing the transgenic line under a mix of metals. In addition we are interested in determining if there is a linear correlation between GFP emission and metal concentration. The ultimate goal is to design a qualitative indicator system for the presence of heavy metals in aquatic samples.


    Tip: Seeing your name marked red? Please help us identify you.