Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 20, 2025
10:21
A High Throughput Screen for Biomining Cellulase Activity from Metagenomic Libraries
Published on: February 1, 2011
16.4K
Quantitative high-throughput approach to chalkophore screening in freshwaters
Xiaokai Zhang1, Boling Li1, Jianming Deng2
1Department of Biological Sciences, Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, People's Republic of China; Department of Environmental Science, University of Liverpool, Brownlow Hill, Liverpool L69 7ZX, United Kingdom.
The Science of the Total Environment
|May 30, 2020
Summary
Researchers developed a new high-throughput method to screen for chalkophores, which are copper-binding ligands. This technique improves the analysis of metal bioavailability in natural waters, aiding environmental risk assessment.
Area of Science:
- Environmental chemistry
- Microbiology
- Analytical chemistry
Background:
- Trace metal micronutrients are crucial for microorganisms in natural waters.
- Siderophores, iron-binding ligands, modulate iron bioavailability.
- Knowledge gaps exist regarding copper-binding ligands (chalkophores) and their environmental analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a quantitative, high-throughput method for screening chalkophores.
- To adapt a competitive-ligand binding assay for chalkophore analysis.
- To address the lack of literature on chalkophore analysis.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a chrome azurol sulfonate-metal-surfactant chromogenic ternary complex.
- Adapted a competitive-ligand binding assay for high-throughput screening using a microplate reader.
- Investigated and overcame matrix interferences from other metals using standard additions.
Main Results:
- Developed a high-throughput chalkophore screening assay with performance comparable or superior to siderophore screening methods.
- Identified matrix interferences from other metals in natural samples, which can be mitigated by standard additions.
- Demonstrated the assay's practical application by analyzing field mesocosm samples with copper and iron amendments.
Conclusions:
- The developed method offers a rapid and effective approach for chalkophore screening.
- This technique can aid in assessing metal speciation and bioavailability for environmental risk assessment.
- The assay is valuable for identifying samples rich in copper and iron binding capacity for further structural studies.
