Engineered microbes can sense target chemicals and respond with programmed actions, using cell sensors to detect specific chemicals and genetic circuits to convert regulatory signals into observable outcomes1,2,3. Microbial sensors have the potential to carry out autonomous, long-term environmental monitoring inside complex environments, such as soil systems or the human gut, without the need for direct observations or human intervention.
One important autonomous microbial sensor application is the detection of the explosive compound 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) inside natural soil systems that contain both engineered and naturally occurring microbes13. TNT was the predominant explosive used in the ordinance from 1940–1970 and remains widely used in mines, grenades, antitank rockets, artillery, and bombs.
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Source: Nature Communications
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