VERFAHREN ZUM NACHWEIS UND ZUR IDENTIFIKATION TOXISCHER SUBSTANZEN MIT HILFE KLONIERTER MIKROORGANISMEN

摘要

A process is disclosed for carrying out toxicity tests in fluid or gaseous phases by means of appropriate micro-organisms with a defined sensitivity or resistance to toxic substances. The toxins may be antibiotics, heavy metals, microbial toxins, impurities, pesticides, desinfectants, preservatives or other substances with an antimicrobial action. The strains of micro-organisms used in this process are provided with a plasmid vector which allows the enzyme luciferase to be synthesized in a heat-inducible, therefore controllable, manner. The degree of toxicity is expressed by changes in metabolism or by a reduction in the viability of the indicator organisms, which can be in turn measured quickly and with high sensitivity on the basis of bioluminescence signals, once the plasmid encoded production of luciferase is initiated. This new type of self-regulating plasmid vector allows sensitive and inexpensive bioluminescence measurements to be carried out with in principle any micro-organism. The process makes it possible to carry out biologically relevant tests for detecting a generally present toxicity and for identifying and determining the concentration of specific toxins by means of specially equipped micro-organisms.