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Whole Cell Sensing Systems I pp 57–75Cite as

Fluorescent and Bioluminescent Cell-Based Sensors: Strategies for Their Preservation

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Part of the book series: Advances in Biochemical Engineering / Biotechnology ((ABE,volume 117))

Abstract

Luminescent whole-cell biosensing systems have been developed for a variety of analytes of environmental, clinical, and biological interest. These analytical tools allow for sensitive, rapid, simple, and inexpensive quantitative detection of target analytes. Furthermore, they can be designed to be nonspecific, semispecific, or highly specific/selective. A notable feature of such sensing systems employing living cells is that they provide information on the analyte bioavailability and activity. These characteristics, along with their suitability to miniaturization, make cell-based sensors ideal for field applications. However, a major limitation to on-site use is their “shelf-life.” To address this problem, various methods for preservation of sensing cells have been reported, including freeze-drying, immobilization in different types of matrices, and formation of spores. Among these, the use of spores emerged as a promising strategy for long-term storage of whole-cell sensing systems at room temperature as well as in extreme environmental conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was partly supported by the National Science Foundation, Grants CHE-0416553 and CHE-0718844, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Grant P42ES07380, and the United States–Israel Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund, Grant US-3864-06. In addition, SD would like to acknowledge support from the Gill Endowment of the College of Arts & Sciences for a Gill Professorship.

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  1. Department of Chemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506-0055, USA

    Amol Date, Patrizia Pasini & Sylvia Daunert

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  1. Amol Date
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  2. Patrizia Pasini
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Correspondence to Sylvia Daunert .

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  1. , Institute of Life Sciences, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, 91904, Israel

    Shimshon Belkin

  2. , College of Life Sciences & Biotechnology, Korea University, Amam-dong 5-ga, Seoul, 136-701, Korea, Republic of (South Korea)

    Man Bock Gu

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Date, A., Pasini, P., Daunert, S. (2010). Fluorescent and Bioluminescent Cell-Based Sensors: Strategies for Their Preservation. In: Belkin, S., Gu, M. (eds) Whole Cell Sensing Systems I. Advances in Biochemical Engineering / Biotechnology, vol 117. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/10_2009_22

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