Patent ID: 6942986

Claim:
A method for detecting an autoinducer, selected from the group consisting of 4,5-dihidroxy-2,3-pentanedione (AI-2) and an analog thereof capable of interacting with Vibrio haveyi LuxP or LuxQ protein and thereby inducing Vibrio harveyi luminescence, in a sample comprising: a) contacting the sample with a bacterial cell capable of producing a detectable amount of light in response to the autoinducer, wherein the bacterial cell comprises a first alteration in a sensor gene locus that inhibits detection of a first autoindecuer and a second alteration in a biosynthetic gene locus that inhibits production of 4,5-dihidroxy-2,3-pentanedione (AI-2) or an analog thereof capable of interacting with Vibrio harveyi LuxP or LuxQ protein and thereby inducing Vibrio harveyi luminescence; and b) detecting light produced by the bacterial cell, thereby detecting an exogenous autoinducer in the sample.