Red- and green-emitting firefly luciferase mutants for bioluminescent reporter applications

Anal Biochem. 2005 Oct 1;345(1):140-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ab.2005.07.015.

Abstract

Light emission from the North American firefly Photinus pyralis, which emits yellow-green (557-nm) light, is widely believed to be the most efficient bioluminescence system known, making this luciferase an excellent tool for monitoring gene expression. Here, we present studies leading to the production of a set of red- and green-emitting luciferase mutants with bioluminescent properties suitable for expanding the use of the P. pyralis system to dual-color reporter assays, biosensor measurements with internal controls, and imaging techniques. Using a combination of mutagenesis methods, we determined that the Ser284Thr mutation was sufficient to create an excellent red-emitting luciferase with a bioluminescence maximum of 615 nm, a narrow emission bandwidth, and favorable kinetic properties. Also, we developed a luciferase, containing the changes Val241Ile, Gly246Ala, and Phe250Ser, whose emission maximum was blue-shifted to 549 nm, providing a set of enzymes whose bioluminescence maxima were separated by 66 nm. Model studies demonstrated that in assays using a set of optical filters, the luciferases could be detected at the attomole level and seven orders of magnitude higher. In addition, in the presence of the Ser284Thr enzyme serving as a control, green light emission could be measured over a 10,000-fold range. The results presented here with the P. pyralis mutants provide evidence that simultaneous multiple analyte assay development is feasible with these novel proteins that require only a single substrate.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Substitution*
  • Animals
  • Fireflies / enzymology*
  • Fireflies / genetics
  • Firefly Luciferin / chemistry
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Luciferases, Firefly / chemistry*
  • Luciferases, Firefly / genetics
  • Luminescence*
  • Luminescent Measurements* / methods
  • Point Mutation*

Substances

  • Firefly Luciferin
  • Luciferases, Firefly