A Novel Renilla-Derived Luciferase with Enhanced Activity and Stability
SUMMARY
UCLA researchers in the Department of Molecular and Medical Pharmacology have developed a novel luciferase variant with enhanced stability and activity.
BACKGROUND
Luciferase proteins first derived from firefly are indispensable in biological research. They are used for in vivo imaging, affinity studies by conjugation to antibodies and as reporter proteins in cell culture experiments. The most commonly used luciferase is a small protein derived from Renilla reniformis. Although it is used routinely as a research tool, there are several limitations, as it is unstable in serum, has a low shelf life and a spectral peak of 482 nm that is unsuitable for in vivo imaging.
INNOVATION
UCLA researchers have optimized the Renilla luciferase protein such that it overcomes the current limitations. The optimized protein is stable with 10-fold higher yields. It is active in serum for 180 hours compared to the original protein, which is stable for less than 10 hours. It also has an optimized spectral peak compatible with in vivo imaging. Their optimized variant is thus suitable for assays that were previously incompatible with luciferase.
APPLICATIONS
ADVANTAGES
STATE OF DEVELOPMENT
The protein has been tested extensively for stability and performance in mice, cell culture, serum and in reporter assays.
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