Patent ID: 6242244
Filing Date: 2001-06-05
Classification: B09C,C12N,C12Q

Abstract:
A method for oxidizing formaldehyde in a sample, the method comprising the steps of:providing a Rhodobacter sphaeroides bacterial cell that comprises a glutathione S-transferase/formaldehyde dehydrogenase (GSH-FDH) gene, a transcriptional adhI promoter from Rhodobacter sphaeroides operably linked to the GSH-FDH gene, a cis-acting operator from Rhodobacter swhaeroides operably linked to the promoter, at least one protein that senses formaldehyde, and a trans-acting regulatory protein that modulates transcription of the GSH-FDH gene from the transcriptional promoter in response to a signal from the protein that senses formaldehyde, wherein the promoter and the operator together specifically direct transcription of the GSH-FDH gene when the cell is exposed to formaldehyde;adding the bacterial cell to the sample; anddetecting a decrease in formaldehyde in the sample.