Construction of a reporter strain Pseudomonas putida for the detection of oxidative stress caused by environmental pollutants

A green fluorescent protein-based Pseudomonas putida reporter was successfully constructed and shown to be capable of detecting oxidative stress. In this whole-cell reporter, the promoter of the paraquat-inducible ferredoxin-NADP ⁺ reductase (fpr) was fused to a promoterless gfp gene on a broad-host-range promoter probe vector. Pseudomonas putida KT2440 harboring this reporter plasmid exhibited an increased level of gfp expression in the presence of redoxcycling agents (paraquat and menadione), hydrogen peroxide, and potential environmental pollutant chemicals such as toluene, paint thinner, gasoline, and diesel. Induction of fpr in the presence of these chemicals was confirmed using Northern blot analysis.