Bioluminescent Bacteria Under the Stress of Metal Pollutants

This contribution majorly describes the characterization of marine bioluminescent bacteria (Vibrio harveyi) under the stress of metallic and organo-metallic environmental pollutants. Chapter I provides background information introducing the subjects presented in the topic of Bioluminescent bacteria, its ubiquitous presence in the west coast of India (Goa) which could serve as bioreporter of serious alteration in the quality of marine water caused by metallic (viz. Cd, As, Hg, Pb, Cr) as well as organo-metallic (viz. TBTC, DBTC) environmental pollutants which are released in the marine environment due to the extensive anthropogenic and natural geochemical activities. Chapter II narrates the brief methodology of each experiment starting from the collection of samples and molecular strain diversity in west coast region, biochemical characterization of selected bioluminescent bacterial isolates with reference to growth kinetics, exopolysaccharide (EPS) production, pigment production, stress induced proteins and bioluminescence responses.