Enhanced microbial biomass assay using mutant luciferase resistant to benzalkonium chloride

In a biomass assay based on adenosine 5(')-triphosphate (ATP) bioluminescence, extracellular ATP is removed; then intracellular ATP is extracted from the microorganism by an ATP extractant and subsequently reacted with luciferase. To provide a highly sensitive assay, the concentration of benzalkonium chloride (BAC) in the ATP extractant was optimized by using a mutant luciferase resistant to BAC. The use of 0.2% BAC, which was acceptable for the luciferase, simultaneously achieved the maximum extraction of intracellular ATP from microorganisms and the inactivation of the ATP-eliminating enzymes for removal of extracellular ATP. The detection limit (blank+3 SD) for ATP was 1.8x10(-14)M (1.8x10(-18)mol/assay) in the presence of the ATP extractant with coefficients of variation of 0.7 to 6.3%. The reagent system coupled with the ATP-eliminating enzymes allowed for the detection of 93 colony-forming units (CFU)/ml of Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, 170CFU/ml of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, 170CFU/ml of Proteus mirabilis ATCC 29906, 68CFU/ml of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, and 7.7CFU/ml of Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6051. The yeast cell of Saccharomyces cerevisiae IFO 10217 could be detected at 1CFU/ml. With 54 kinds of microorganisms, the average ATP extraction efficiency compared to the trichloroacetic acid extraction method was 81.0% in 24 strains among gram-negative bacteria, 99.4% in 13 strains among gram-positive bacteria, and 97.0% in 17 strains among yeast. The ATP contents of the gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, and yeasts ranged from 0.40 to 2.70x10(-18)mol/CFU (mean=1.5x10(-18)mol/CFU), from 0.41 to 16.7x10(-18)mol/CFU (mean=5.5x10(-18)mol/CFU), and from 0.714 to 54.6x10(-16)mol/CFU (mean=8.00x10(-16)mol/CFU), respectively.     

Firefly luciferase exhibits bimodal action depending on the luciferin chirality

Firefly luciferase is able to convert L-luciferin into luciferyl-CoA even under ordinary aerobic luciferin-luciferase reaction conditions. The luciferase is able to recognize strictly the chirality of the luciferin structure, serving as the acyl-CoA synthetase for L-luciferin, whereas d-luciferin is used for the bioluminescence reaction. D-Luciferin inhibits the luciferyl-CoA synthetase activity of L-luciferin, whereas L-luciferin retards the bioluminescence reaction of D-luciferin, meaning that both enzyme activities are prevented by the enantiomer of its own substrate.     

The influence of hypoxia on bioluminescence in luciferase-transfected gliosarcoma tumor cells in vitro

Firefly luciferase catalyzes the emission of light from luciferin in the presence of oxygen and adenosine triphosphate. This bioluminescence is commonly employed in imaging mode to monitor tumor growth and treatment responses in vivo. A potential concern is that, since solid tumors are often hypoxic, either constitutively and/or as a result of treatment, the oxygen available for the bioluminescence reaction could be reduced to limiting levels, leading to underestimation of the actual number of luciferase-labeled cells during in vivo experiments. We present studies of the oxygen dependence of bioluminescence in vitro in rat 9 L gliosarcoma cells tagged with the firefly luciferase gene (9L(luc)). We demonstrate that the bioluminescence signal decreases at pO(2) 相似文献   

Firefly luciferase is a bifunctional enzyme: ATP-dependent monooxygenase and a long chain fatty acyl-CoA synthetase

Firefly luciferase can catalyze the formation of fatty acyl-CoA via fatty acyl-adenylate from fatty acid in the presence of ATP, Mg²⁺ and coenzyme A (CoA). A long chain fatty acyl-CoA (C₁₆–C₂₀), produced by luciferase from a North American firefly (Photinus pyralis) and a Japanese firefly (Luciola cruciata), was isolated and identified by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. Of a number of substrates tested, linolenic acid (C_18:3) and arachidonic acid (C_20:4) appear to be suitable for acyl-CoA synthesis. This evidence suggests that firefly luciferase within peroxisomes of the cells in the photogenic organ may be a bifunctional enzyme, catalyzing not only the bioluminescence reaction but also the fatty acyl-CoA synthetic reaction.     

Creating a mutant luciferase resistant to HPV chemical inhibition by random mutagenesis and colony-level screening.

Firefly luciferase covers a wide range of applications. One common usage of the bioluminescence assay is the measurement of intracellular concentration of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) for cell viability. However, inhibition of the enzyme reaction by chemicals in the assay has so far limited the application of luciferase for high production volume (HPV) chemical testing. The objective of this research was to obtain a mutant luciferase with increased stability to inhibition by HPV chemicals, yet retaining specific activity comparable to, or better than, wild-type luciferase. The enzymatic properties of the wild-type luciferase were improved by random mutagenesis and colony-level screening. In this paper, the detailed process of creating mutant luciferases for testing the toxicity of HPV chemicals is described. As a result, two mutant luciferases were created, with different degrees of improved tolerance to inhibition by chloroform and other HPV chemicals.     

Implication of an unfavorable residue (Thr346) in intrinsic flexibility of firefly luciferase

In order to better understand the functional role of an unusual residue (Thr346) of firefly luciferase mutagenesis at this residue was performed. Firefly luciferase, catalyzes the bioluminescence reaction and is an excellent tool as a reporter in nano-system biology studies. Nonetheless, the enzyme rapidly loses its activity at temperatures above 30°C and this leads to reduced sensitivity and precision in analytical applications. Residue Thr346 in a connecting loop (341-348) of firefly luciferase is located in a disallowed region of Ramachandran plot. In this study, we have substituted this residue (T346) with anomalous dihedral angles with Val, Gly and Pro to clarify the role of this residue in structure and function of the enzyme using site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of this unfavorable residue (T346) with atypical dihedral angles (ψ, φ) with other residues brought about an increase of thermostability and decrease of specific activity. Structural and functional properties of the mutants were analyzed using different spectroscopic methods. It seems that this residue is a critically conserved residue to support the functional flexibility for a fast kinetic bioluminescence reaction at the expense of lower stability.     

ATP生物发光测定试剂研究进展

萤火虫荧光素酶是ATP生物发光试剂的关键组成部分,可通过萤火虫尾提取纯化或基因工程技术制备,酶的活力和纯度决定了ATP生物发光试剂的性能。迄今许多先进技术在ATP生物发光试剂的制备中均有应用,包括酶基因工程改造技术、ATP循环的酶法放大技术、荧光素酶蛋白的活力及发光稳定技术,特异的细胞ATP提取技术等。ATP生物发光试剂的研究焦点主要集中在提高发光试剂的检测灵敏度和性能、增加产品的适应性等方面。     

Bioluminescent assay of total bacterial contamination of raw milk]

A rapid (30-35 min) bioluminescence assay of total bacterial contamination (TBC) of raw milk was optimized. This method includes incubation of milk samples in the presence of Neonol-10 and medical purity grade pancreatin with further removal of nonbacterial ATP by filtration through a membrane filter, cell disruption by treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide, and measurement of ATP concentration in a reaction with the bioluminescent reagent Immolum. The TBC detection threshold is 0.5 x 10(5) colony-forming units (CFU) per ml milk. Coefficients of correlation between the standard plate count method and bioluminescence assay (R) and residual standard deviations (Sxy) in raw milk samples (n = 140) were 0.83 and 0.54, respectively. In sterilized milk samples artificially contaminated with pure cultures of the main representatives of milk microflora (coli-forms, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus thermophilus, and Streptococcus group D), these values were 0.89-0.99 and 0.09-0.29, respectively. The specific content of ATP was found to be (0.8 +/- 0.1) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in coli-forms; (12.0 +/- 8.1) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in S. aureus; (35.2 +/- 16.9) x 10(-18) mol/CFU in S. thermophilus; and (42.5 +/- 1.3) x 10(-18) in Streptococcus group D.     

Bioluminometric assay of ATP in mouse brain: Determinant factors for enhanced test sensitivity

Firefly luciferase bioluminescence (FLB) is a highly sensitive and specific method for the analysis of adenosine-5-triphosphate (ATP) in biological samples. Earlier attempts to modify the FLB test for enhanced sensitivity have been typically based onin vitro cell systems. This study reports an optimized FLB procedure for the analysis of ATP in small tissue samples. The results showed that the sensitivity of the FLB test can be enhanced several fold by using ultraturax homogenizer, perchloric acid extraction, neutralization of acid extract and its optimal dilution, before performing the assay reaction.     

A bioluminescence method for direct measurement of phosphodiesterase activity

We have adapted bioluminescence methods to be able to measure phosphodiesterase (PDE) activity in a one-step technique. The method employs a four-enzyme system (PDE, adenylate kinase (AK) using excess CTP instead of ATP as substrate, pyruvate kinase (PK), and firefly luciferase) to generate ATP, with measurement of the concomitant luciferase-light emission. Since AK, PK, and luciferase reactions are coupled to recur in a cyclic manner, AMP recycling maintains a constant rate of ATP formation, proportional to the steady-state AMP concentration. The cycle can be initiated by the PDE reaction that yields AMP. As long as the PDE reaction is rate limiting, the system is effectively at steady state and the bioluminescence kinetics progresses at a constant rate proportional to the PDE activity. In the absence of cAMP and PDE, low concentrations of AMP trigger the AMP cycling, which allows standardizing the system. The sensitivity of the method enables detection of <1 μU (pmol/min) of PDE activity in cell extracts containing 0.25–10 μg protein. Assays utilizing pure enzyme showed that 0.2 mM IBMX completely inhibited PDE activity. This single-step enzyme- and substrate-coupled cyclic-reaction system yields a simplified, sensitive, reproducible, and accurate method for quantifying PDE activities in small biological samples.     

Bioluminescence imaging after HSV amplicon vector delivery into brain

BACKGROUND: Firefly luciferase (Fluc) has routinely been used to quantitate and analyze gene expression in vitro by measuring the photons emitted after the addition of ATP and luciferin to a test sample. It is now possible to replace luminometer-based analysis of luciferase activity and measure luciferase activity delivered by viral vectors directly in live animals over time using digital imaging techniques. METHODS: An HSV amplicon vector expressing Fluc cDNA from an inducible promoter was delivered to cells in culture and into the mouse brain. In culture, expression of Fluc was measured after induction in a dose-dependent manner by a biochemical assay, and then confirmed by Western blot analysis and digital imaging. The vectors were then stereotactically injected into the mouse brain and Fluc expression measured non-invasively using bioluminescence imaging. RESULTS: Rapamycin-mediated induction of Fluc from an HSV amplicon vector in culture resulted in dose-dependent expression of Fluc when measured using a luminometer and by digital analysis. In mouse cortex, a single injection of an HSV amplicon vector (2 microl, 1x10(8) transducing units (t.u.)/ml) expressing Fluc from a viral promoter (CMV) was sufficient to detect robust luciferase activity for at least 1 week. Similarly, an HSV amplicon vector expressing Fluc under an inducible promoter was also detectable in the mouse cortex after a single dose (2 microl, 1x10(8) t.u./ml) for up to 5 days, with no detectable signal in the uninduced state. CONCLUSIONS: This HSV amplicon vector-based system allows for fast, non-invasive, semi-quantitative analysis of gene expression in the brain.     

Collagen strip with immobilized luciferase for ATP bioluminescent determination

Firefly luciferase from Photinus pyralis has been covalently bound to a collagen strip via an acylazide activation process. Immobilization performed in the presence of both substrates ATP and luciferin allows to increase the activity retained on the strip. The best activity exhibited by immobilized luciferase was obtained in a 0.05M Tris-acetate buffer, pH 7.75. The pH optimum and the activation energy of luciferase have been found unchanged after immobilization. In the chosen stirring conditions, no diffusional limitations of substrates appear. ATP measurements can be performed with collagen-bound luciferase in the range 1.10(-11) M-3.10(-6) M. It was possible to store the strips at 4 degrees C in a dehydrated form; then, the bound enzyme retains 20% of its initial activity after eight months. Human blood ATP was measured with this collagen-bound luciferase and the results were found in good agreement with those obtained by soluble luciferase.     

An enhanced chimeric firefly luciferase-inspired enzyme for ATP detection and bioluminescence reporter and imaging applications

Firefly luciferases, which emit visible light in a highly specific ATP-dependent process, have been adapted for a variety of applications, including gene reporter assays, whole-cell biosensor measurements, and in vivo imaging. We previously reported the approximately 2-fold enhanced activity and 1.4-fold greater bioluminescence quantum yield properties of a chimeric enzyme that contains the N-domain of Photinus pyralis luciferase joined to the C-domain of Luciola italica luciferase. Subsequently, we identified 5 amino acid changes based on L. italica that are the main determinants of the improved bioluminescence properties. Further engineering to enhance thermal and pH stability produced a novel luciferase called PLG2. We present here a systematic comparison of the spectral and physical properties of the new protein with P. pyralis luciferase and demonstrate the potential of PLG2 for use in assays based on the detection of femtomole levels of ATP. In addition, we compared the performance of a mammalian codon-optimized version of the cDNA for PLG2 with the luc2 gene in HEK293T cells. Using an optimized low-cost assay system, PLG2 activity can be monitored in mammalian cell lysates and living cells with 4.4-fold and approximately 3.0-fold greater sensitivity, respectively. PLG2 could be an improved alternative to Promega’s luc2 for reporter and imaging applications.     

Kinetics of the inactivation of the protein-lipid complex, firefly luciferase, by sodium deoxycholate and its reactivation by phosphatidylcholine

Firefly luciferase has been shown to be a protein-lipid complex. Phospholipids and neutral lipids bound to luciferase have been identified. Sodium deoxycholate rapidly inactivated the enzyme, but an excess of phosphatidylcholine recovered luciferase activity. From the kinetics of inactivation and reactivation, a mechanism for interaction of the enzyme with detergents and phospholipids has been proposed. The substrates ATP and Mg2+ stabilized luciferase during delipidation.     

Luminescent and substrate binding activities of firefly luciferase N-terminal domain

Firefly luciferase catalyzes highly efficient emission of light from the substrates luciferin, Mg-ATP, and oxygen. A number of amino acid residues are identified to be important for the luminescent activity, and almost all the key residues are thought to be located in the N-terminal domain (1-437), except one in the C-terminal domain, Lys529, which is thought to be critical for efficient substrate orientation. Here we show that the purified N-terminal domain still binds to the substrates luciferin and ATP with reduced affinity, and retains luminescent activity of up to 0.03% of the wild-type enzyme (WT), indicating that all the essential residues for the activity are located in the N-terminal domain. Also found is low luminescence enhancement by coenzyme A (CoA), which implies a lower product inhibition than in the WT enzyme. These findings have interesting implications for the light emission reaction mechanism of the enzyme, such as reaction intermediates, product inhibition, and the role of the C-terminal domain.     

ATP amplification for ultrasensitive bioluminescence assay: detection of a single bacterial cell

We developed an ultrasensitive bioluminescence assay of ATP by employing (i) adenylate kinase (ADK) for converting AMP + ATP to two molecules of ADP, (ii) polyphosphate (polyP) kinase (PPK) for converting ADP back to ATP (ATP amplification), and (iii) a commercially available firefly luciferase. A highly purified PPK-ADK fusion protein efficiently amplified ATP, resulting in high levels of bioluminescence in the firefly luciferase reaction. The present method, which was approximately 10,000-fold more sensitive to ATP than the conventional bioluminescence assay, allowed us to detect bacterial contamination as low as one colony-forming unit (CFU) of Escherichia coli per assay.     

The use of luciferase as a reporter for response of plant cells to the fireblight pathogen Erwinia amylovora

Summary We have introduced the gene encoding luciferase from Photinus pyralis into pear and tobacco cells in order to judge the reaction of plant tissue to damaging conditions such as incubation at high temperature or inoculation with a pathogen. The constitutive expression of the luciferase gene via a strong promoter slowly decreased during propagation of the transformed pear cell line. After various stress treatments the resulting luciferase activity and the ATP content of the plant cells were determined by bioluminescence and found to correspond to each other. Inoculation of transformed pear cells with Erwinia amylovora resulted in a continuous decrease of luciferase activity in contrast to tobacco cells, where the enzyme activity was significantly higher in the first period after inoculation with bacteria compared to the untreated control cells. The pattern of the luciferase activity reflected the slow damage of the host-plant cells by E. amylovora and the elevated metabolism of the non-host cells after inoculation with the pathogen.Abbreviations 2,4-D 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid - CaMV Cauliflower mosaic virus - DTT dithiothreitol - EDTA ethylenediaminetetraacetate - FDA fluorescein diacetate - HEPES (hydroxyethyl)piperazine(ethanesulfonic acid) - HR hypersensitive reaction - Tris tris (hydroxymethyl)amino-methane     

Continuous-flow bioluminescent dtermination of ATP in platelets using firefly luciferase immobilized on epoxy methacrylate

Firefly luciferase was immobilized on epoxy methacrylate beads and used for a continuous-flow assay of ATP extracted from platelets. The immobilized luciferase had a half-life of 3 days at 25°C; there was a 25% recovery of luciferase activity upon immobilization, and ca 50 reactors were made from 1 mg of commercial enzyme. The sensitivity of the assay was 0.3 pmol of ATP, and the response was linear between 1 and 500 pmol of ATP. The content of platelets obtained with the present method correlated well with those obtained using soluble luciferase.     

Caged ATP - an internal calibration method for ATP bioluminescence assays

ATP bioluminescence, based on the firefly luciferase system, is used for the rapid determination of hygienic practices in the food industry. This study has demonstrated the use of caged ATP as an internal ATP standard and quantified the effects of industrial cleansing solutions, alcoholic beverages and pH on firefly luciferase activity. The light signal was quenched 6-47% by five cleansing solutions at standard working concentrations. Ethanol at 1% (v/v) inhibited bioluminescence by 15% (w/v) whereas concentrations above 4% enhanced the light output. The light signal was quenched by 20-25% at pH values below pH 4 and above pH 10.     

Crystal structure of native and a mutant of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferase implicate in bioluminescence color shift

Firefly bioluminescence reaction in the presence of Mg^2 +, ATP and molecular oxygen is carried out by luciferase. The luciferase structure alterations or modifications of assay conditions determine the bioluminescence color of firefly luciferase. Among different beetle luciferases, Phrixothrix hirtus railroad worm emits either yellow or red bioluminescence color. Sequence alignment analysis shows that the red-emitter luciferase from Phrixothrix hirtus has an additional arginine residue at 353 that is absent in other firefly luciferases. It was reported that insertion of Arg in an important flexible loop350–359 showed changes in bioluminescence color from green to red and the optimum temperature activity was also increased. To explain the color tuning mechanism of firefly luciferase, the structure of native and a mutant (E354R/356R/H431Y) of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferase is determined at 2.7 Å and 2.2 Å resolutions, respectively. The comparison of structure of both types of Lampyris turkestanicus luciferases reveals that the conformation of this flexible loop is significantly changed by addition of two Arg in this region. Moreover, its surface accessibility is affected considerably and some ionic bonds are made by addition of two positive charge residues. Furthermore, we noticed that the hydrogen bonding pattern of His431 with the flexible loop is changed by replacing this residue with Tyr at this position. Juxtaposition of a flexible loop (residues 351–359) in firefly luciferase and corresponding ionic and hydrogen bonds are essential for color emission.