Development of a Transcriptional Biosensor for Hydrogen Sulfide that Functions under Aerobic and Anaerobic Conditions.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is a gaseous gut metabolite with disputed effects on gastrointestinal health. Monitoring H₂S concentration in the gut would provide insight into its role in disease, but is complicated by sulfide's reactivity and volatility. Here we develop a transcriptional sulfide biosensor in E. coli. The sensor relies on enzymatic oxidation of sulfide catalyzed by a sulfide:quinone reductase (Sqr) to polysulfides, which bind to the repressor SqrR, triggering unbinding from the promoter and transcription of the reporter. Through promoter engineering and improving soluble SqrR expression, we optimized the system to provide an operational range of 50 μM - 750 μM and dynamic range of 18 aerobically. To enable sensing in anaerobic environments, we identifi

SUBMITTER: Fernez MT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11870579 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature