Plasmid for detecting mercury in water
US5571722A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Aug 23, 1993 |
| Grant date | Nov 5, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 23, 2013 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N33/5014
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Devices for the detection of small quantities either of divalent inorganic mercury ion (Hg.sup.2+) or of both Hg.sup.2+ and monomethyl mercury in water are disclosed. These devices comprises a bioluminescence detecting means and a bioluminescent biosensory microorganism cells, that emit significant light only when exposed to either to Hg.sup.2+ or to Hg.sup.2+ or momomethyl mercury. Plasmid cassettes and host microorganisms containing such cassettes are also disclosed The plasmid cassettes comprises a lux gene operon complex from Xenorhabdus luminescens. The lux operon complex comprises luxC, luxD, luxA, luxB, and luxE genes but is free of (1) a promoter for the complex and (2) an inducible regulatory gene for the complex.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.