WARF: P98268US
Microbial System for Formaldehyde Sensing and Remediation

INVENTORS

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Timothy Donohue, Robert Barber, Vernon Witthuhn

Formaldehyde is a probable human carcinogen. It is present in the environment and produced by several industrial processes. Currently, the only methods of detection are chemical monitors, which are time-consuming, exhibit variable sensitivity and are prone to cross-reactivity with other aldehydes. UW-Madison researchers have developed a gene regulation system that responds to the presence of formaldehyde.  This system can be induced at the transcriptional level when a cell is exposed to formaldehyde.  It provides a  method to reduce or eliminate formaldehyde as an environmental contaminant.  Furthermore, the researchers have discovered  that formaldehyde recognition is comprised of at least two proteins.

• Detecting formaldehyde
• Bioremediation of formaldehyde

• The invention is useful in a bioremediation assay capable of metabolizing formaldehyde into single-carbon skeletons.
• The invention can be used to decrease the formaldehyde level in the environment by replacing the indicator gene with a gene that can oxidize formaldehyde.
• The formaldehyde that induces the expression system can derive from industrial or commercial waste, or a biological or chemical degradation product of such waste.
• There is virtually no transcription of the gene in the absence of formaldehyde.
• The system is responsive to formaldehyde even at very low levels.

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