Bioluminescence-based detection of genetically engineered microorganisms in nonsterile river water.

The luminescence genes of the marine bacterium Vibrio fischeri were cloned into a lac expression vector and introduced into Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida. Survival of the cells in river water samples was monitored by light measurements. Whereas E. coli survived in sterilized river water for more than 29 days, it died off in nonsterile river water after 9 to 13 days. The engineered P. putida cells survived in nonsterile river water for more than 137 days. The detection limit for E. coli was 11 cells/ml.