Development and application of bioluminescent Caenorhabditis elegans as multicellular eukaryotic biosensors

We describe a novel approach to assess toxicity to the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans that relies on the ability of firefly luciferase to report on endogenous ATP levels. We have constructed bioluminescent C, ele gans with the luc gene under control of a constitutive promoter, Light redu ction was observed in response to increasing temperature, concentrations of copper, lead and 3,5-dichlorophenol, This was due to increased mortality c oupled with decreased metabolic activity in the surviving animals. The ligh t emitted by the transgenic nematodes gave a rapid, real-time indication of metabolic status. This forms the basis of rapid and biologically relevant toxicity tests, (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of th e Federation of European Biochemical Societies.