[New biosensors for assessment of environmental toxicity based on marine luminescent bacteria]

Sixteen strains of luminescent bacteria of Vibrio and Photobacterium genera were isolated from water of the Azov and Black seas. Two strains prospective for biotesting were genetically identified as Vibrio fisher Ve-9579 and Vibrio fisheri Ve-9580 according to Russian Industrial Microorganism Collection (VKMP) classification and accepted for depositing. The isolated luminescent strains exhibited high individual sensitivity to oil derived products, heavy metal salts, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and phenol (up to the maximum concentration limit for fishery impoundments). According to EC50, they are ten times more sensitive to heavy metal salts and potassium dichromate and 2-6 times more sensitive to SDSand phenol compared to P. phosphoreum (Cohn) Ford and Escherichia coli C600 (pPLS-5) strains. Using Vibrio fisheri VKMP Ve-9579 and Vibrio fisheri VKMP Ve-9580 as biosensors, we have shown their high sensitivity and efficacy to marine ecosystem toxicity assessment.