Product Description
Luciferase is a small molecule substance belonging to the luciferase of Vibrio fischeri. It is used to evaluate the luminescence and oxygen consumption kinetics of bioluminescent bacteria. It is also used to study the dark mutant pairs of various luminescent bacteria strains. Sensitivity to reactive oxygen species.
AI Product Description
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Luciferase is a widely utilized bioluminescent enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of its specific substrate, luciferin, in the presence of ATP, magnesium ions, and oxygen. This biochemical reaction produces light without generating significant heat, making it an invaluable tool for non-invasive imaging and sensitive detection assays. The molecular formula varies depending on the source organism; for instance, firefly luciferase (derived from *Photinus pyralis*) is a protein with a complex structure rather than a simple small molecule, while bacterial luciferase functions as a heterodimeric enzyme. Consequently, standard CAS numbers typically apply to the isolated enzyme preparations or specific synthetic substrates like D-Luciferin potassium salt (CAS 25381-97-3) rather than the enzyme itself, which is cataloged under various supplier-specific identifiers.
The primary application of luciferase lies in the field of molecular biology and drug discovery, particularly as a reporter gene system. Researchers fuse the luciferase gene to promoters of interest to monitor gene expression levels in real-time within living cells or whole organisms. Its exceptional sensitivity allows for the detection of minute quantities of biological targets, far surpassing traditional fluorescent methods. In toxicology, it serves as a rapid viability assay where cell death results in a loss of enzymatic activity and subsequent signal reduction. Furthermore, it is critical for tracking tumor growth, metastasis, and infection dynamics in preclinical animal studies using bioluminescence imaging systems. The versatility of different luciferase variants, such as Renilla, Gaussia, and NanoLuc, offers researchers options with varying emission spectra, brightness, and stability to suit specific experimental needs. As a result, luciferase remains a cornerstone technology in high-throughput screening, diagnostic development, and fundamental research into cellular mechanisms, enabling scientists to visualize biological processes with unprecedented clarity and precision in both in vitro and in vivo settings.