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