Allows for quantitative measure of β-galactosidase enzyme activity in mammalian, yeast, and bacterial cells through use of a chemiluminescent substrate.
- Chemiluminescently measures β-Gal activity
One of the most common reporter genes used in molecular biology applications is the E. coli lacZ gene that codes for an active subunit of β-galactosidase in vivo. Since this enzyme is generally absent in normal mammalian, yeast, some bacterial and even plant cells, it can be detected at very low levels, and due to its wide substrate specificity, monitoring lacZ expression (and therefore co-expressed genes or promoter efficiency) has become routine to the point of detection of as few as 5 copies of β;-galactosidase. Although chromogenic assays of β-galactosidase activity (i.e. X-Gal) are useful, the application of chemiluminescent 1,2 Dioxetane substrates, which emit visible light upon enzyme catalysis, provide rapid results with very low background and high intensity signal. An enhancing solution is also provided with this kit to increase light production efficiency in solution-based assays by drawing water away from the signal production site.
