Bioengineering of non-pathogenic Escherichia coli to enrich for accumulation of environmental copper.

ABSTRACT: Heavy metal sequestration from industrial wastes and agricultural soils is a long-standing challenge. This is more critical for copper since copper pollution is hazardous both for the environment and for human health. In this study, we applied an integrated approach of Darwin's theory of natural selection with bacterial genetic engineering to generate a biological system with an application for the accumulation of Cu²⁺ ions. A library of recombinant non-pathogenic Escherichia coli strains was engineered to express seven potential Cu²⁺ binding peptides encoded by a 'synthetic degenerate' DNA motif and fused to Maltose Binding Protein (MBP). Most of these peptide-MBP chimeras conferred tolerance to high concentrations of copper sulphate, and in certain cases in the orde

SUBMITTER: Gahlot DK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7683528 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature