A Pseudomonas aeruginosa biosensor responds to exposure to ultraviolet radiation.

We fused the Pseudomonas aeruginosa recA promoter to a promoterless Vibrio fisheri lux operon. This recA-lux fusion (pMOE15) was introduced into wild-type P. aeruginosa strain FRD1 and recA expression was monitored by measuring 490-nm light production. The RM4440 strain responded to increasing doses of ultraviolet radiation by an increase in its bioluminescence. RM4440 has the potential to be useful as a biosensor for the presence of DNA-damaging agents in the environment.