Luciferase Enzyme and its Application

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this review is to know about luciferase enzyme and its application

Background : Luciferase is a generic term for the class of oxidsative enzymes that produce bioluminescence

and is distinct from a photoprotein. “Firefly luciferase” as a laboratory reagent often refers to P. pyralis

luciferase although recombinant luciferases from several other species of fireflies are also commercially

available. Firefly luciferase is a euglobulin protein that catalyses the oxygenation of luciferin using ATP

and molecular oxygen to yield oxyluciferin, a highly unstable, singlet-excited compound that emits light

upon relaxation to its ground state. Luciferase can act as an ATP sensor protein through biotinylation.

Bioluminescence assay systems have become increasingly used in biology and medical research laboratories

in addition to (or as alternatives to) fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection strategies. Luciferase

enzymes isolated from different animal species have inherent variability in light emission, allowing two or

more luciferase enzymes to be used in combination for multiplex analyses, including in vivo imaging, cell

viability and single and dual-spectral luciferase reporter assays.

Reason: This review is made to know in detail about the Luciferase enzyme uses and its application in

diagnosis