Rationally modified estrogen receptor protein as a bio-recognition element for the detection of EDC pollutants

Pedotti, Mattia; Ferrero, Valentina Elisabetta Viviana; Lettieri, Teresa; Colpo, Pascal; Follonier, Stephane; Calzolai, Luigi; Varani, Luca

doi:10.3390/ijerph120302612

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Journal article

Rationally modified estrogen receptor protein as a bio-recognition element for the detection of EDC pollutants : strategies and opportunities

Pedotti, Mattia Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland
Ferrero, Valentina Elisabetta Viviana European Commission—Directorate General—Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Varese, Italy
Lettieri, Teresa European Commission—Directorate General—Joint Research Centre, Institute for Environment and Sustainability, Ispra, Varese, Italy
Colpo, Pascal European Commission—Directorate General—Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Varese, Italy
Follonier, Stephane CSEM Landquart, Bahnhofstrasse 1, Landquart, Switzerland
Calzolai, Luigi European Commission—Directorate General—Joint Research Centre, Institute for Health and Consumer Protection, Ispra, Varese, Italy
Varani, Luca Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Faculty of Biomedical Sciences, Università della Svizzera italiana, Switzerland

27.02.2015

Published in:

International journal of environmental research and public health. - 2015, vol. 12, no. 3, p. 2612-2621

English The estrogen receptor protein (ER) can bind a vast number of organic pollutants widely spread in the environment and collectively known as Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, EDCs. Its broad selectivity makes it an ideal bio-recognition element for the detection of EDCs. Here we describe the strategy and rationale for the design of ER based biosensors and assays that generate a signal in the presence of EDCs. The opportunity to use either natural or rationally modified ER molecules is discussed. The latter approach was successfully applied in the EU-FP7 project RADAR, with the aim to develop a novel biosensor for the detection of organic pollutants both in the environment and in commercial water products.

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