Biosensors for detecting and/or neutralizing bioavailable uranium and related U-sensitive genetic molecular components, gene cassettes, vectors, genetic circuits, compositions, methods and systems

A UO2F2 biosensor comprising a genetically engineered bacterial cell capable of heterologously and/or natively expressing histidine kinase 1363, and U-sensitive transcriptional regulator 1362;

• wherein the bacterial cell is an engineered bacterial cell including a 1362 U-sensing genetic reportable molecular component and/or a 1362 U-sensing/U-neutralizing genetic molecular component, each comprising a U-sensitive promoter in a configuration wherein the U-sensitive promoter directly initiates expression of the U-sensing reportable molecular component and/or of the U-sensing U-neutralizing molecular component in presence of bioavailable U;
• wherein the U-sensitive promoter is
• a 1362 U-sensitive prompter comprising a U-sensitive transcriptional 1362 binding site having a DNA sequence
• (SEQ ID NO:
• 1)
• N1N2N3N4N5N6N7N8N9N10N11N12N13N14N15N16N17N18,
• in which
• N1 is C or T;
• N2 is G or A;
• N3 is T or C;
• N4 is C;
• N5 is A or G;
• N6 is G or C;
• N7 C or G;
• N8 is any nucleotide;
• N9 is any nucleotide;
• N10 is any nucleotide;
• N11 is any nucleotide;
• N12 is T or C;
• N13 is G;
• N14 is T or C;
• N15 is C;
• N16 is A or C;
• N17 is G;
• and
• N18 is C or G,
• and in which N1 to N17 are selected independently
• and wherein the genetically modified bacterial cell is an engineered bacterial cell further comprising an F-sensing riboswitch within at least one of
• the U-sensing reportable genetic molecular component in a configuration wherein the U-sensing reportable genetic molecular component, is transcribed in presence of an effective amount of bioavailable fluoride,
• an F-sensing reportable genetic molecular component in a configuration wherein the F-sensing reportable genetic molecular component is transcribed in presence of an effective amount of bioavailable fluoride, and
• an F sensitive genetic circuit in which at least one molecular component is a reportable molecular component (and in particular one or more reportable genetic molecular component and/or one or more reportable cellular molecular component), the reportable molecular component expressed when the genetic circuit operates according to the circuit design in presence of bioavailable F.