scholarly journals Staphylococcus aureus Cell Extract Transcription-Translation Assay: Firefly Luciferase Reporter System for Evaluating Protein Translation Inhibitors

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (6) ◽  
pp. 1900-1904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert W. Murray ◽  
Earline P. Melchior ◽  
Jeanne C. Hagadorn ◽  
Keith R. Marotti
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
Background Level ◽  
Protein Translation ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Cell Extract ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Translation System ◽  
Reporter System ◽  
Transcription Inhibitor ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene

ABSTRACT The promoter for the Staphylococcus aureus capsule polysaccharide synthesis gene (cap1A) was cloned in front of the firefly luciferase gene for use in a cell extractS. aureus transcription-translation system. The assay is rapid, reproducible, and sensitive and has a lower background level than the radiolabeled amino acid incorporation translation assays. We present data evaluating a transcription inhibitor and a number of protein translation inhibitors in this system.

scholarly journals Affordable Luciferase Reporter Assay for Cell-Based High-Throughput Screening

2012 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellen Siebring-van Olst ◽  
Christie Vermeulen ◽  
Renee X. de Menezes ◽  
Michael Howell ◽  
Egbert F. Smit ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
High Throughput ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Luciferase Assay ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Chemical Components ◽  
Simple Liquid ◽  
Luciferase Reporter Construct ◽  
Reagent Cost ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene

The firefly luciferase gene is commonly used in cell-based reporter assays. Convenient luciferase assay reagents for use in high-throughput screening (HTS) are commercially available. However, the high cost of these reagents is not within the means of some academic laboratories. Therefore, we set out to develop an affordable luciferase assay reagent applicable in an HTS format using simple liquid-handling steps. The reagent was homemade from individual chemical components and optimized for luminescence intensity and stability. We determined the minimal concentrations of the most expensive components, dithiothreitol (DTT) and D-luciferin, resulting in a total assay reagent cost of less than 1 cent per sample. Signal stability was maximized by omission of coenzyme A and reduction of DTT concentration. The assay was validated in a high-throughput setting using two cancer cell lines carrying a p53-dependent luciferase reporter construct and siRNAs modulating p53 transcriptional activity. Induction of p53 activity by silencing PPM1D or SYVN1 and reduction of p53 activity by silencing p53 remained constant over a 2-h measurement period, with good assay quality (Z′ factors mostly above 0.5). Hence, the luciferase assay described herein can be used for affordable reporter readout in cell-based HTS.

scholarly journals The nuclear factor κB inhibitor (E)-2-fluoro-4′-methoxystilbene inhibits firefly luciferase

2012 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 531-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Braeuning ◽  
Silvia Vetter
Keyword(s):  
Photon Emission ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Nuclear Factor Κb ◽  
Signalling Pathway ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Nuclear Factor ◽  
Reporter System ◽  
Reporter Assays

Photinus pyralis (firefly) luciferase is widely used as a reporter system to monitor alterations in gene promoter and/or signalling pathway activities in vitro. The enzyme catalyses the formation of oxyluciferin from D-luciferin in an ATP-consuming reaction involving photon emission. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the luciferase-inhibiting potential of (E)-2-fluoro-4′-methoxystilbene, which is known as a potent inhibitor of the NF-κB (nuclear factor κB) signalling pathway that is used to modulate the NF-κB signalling pathway in vitro. Results show that (E)-2-fluoro-4′-methoxystilbene effectively inhibits firefly luciferase activity in cell lysates and living cells in a non-competitive manner with respect to the luciferase substrates D-luciferin and ATP. By contrast, the compound has no effect on Renilla and Gaussia luciferases. The mechanism of firefly luciferase inhibition by (E)-2-fluoro-4′-methoxystilbene, as well as its potency is comparable to its structure analogue resveratrol. The in vitro use of trans-stilbenes such as (E)-2-fluoro-4′-methoxystilbene or resveratrol compromises firefly luciferase reporter assays as well as ATP/luciferase-based cell viability assays.

scholarly journals Measurement of Effects of Antibiotics in Bioluminescent Staphylococcus aureus RN4220

2001 ◽  
Vol 45 (12) ◽  
pp. 3456-3461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervi Tenhami ◽  
Kaisa Hakkila ◽  
Matti Karp
Keyword(s):  
Staphylococcus Aureus ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Pathogenic Bacteria ◽  
Antimicrobial Agents ◽  
Light Emission ◽  
Detection System ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Luciferase Expression ◽  
Luciferase Reporter Gene

ABSTRACT The spread of antibiotic resistance among pathogenic bacteria is a serious threat to humans and animals. Therefore, unnecessary use should be minimized, and new antimicrobial agents with novel mechanisms of action are needed. We have developed an efficient method for measuring the action of antibiotics which is applied to a gram-positive strain,Staphylococcus aureus RN4220. The method utilizes the firefly luciferase reporter gene coupled to the metal-induciblecadA promoter in a plasmid, pTOO24. Correctly timed induction by micromolar concentrations of antimonite rapidly triggers the luciferase gene transcription and translation. This sensitizes the detection system to the action of antibiotics, and especially for transcriptional and translational inhibitors. We show the results for 11 model antibiotics with the present approach and compare them to an analytical setup with a strain where luciferase expression is under the regulation of a constitutive promoter giving only a report of metabolic inhibition. The measurement of light emission from intact living cells is shown to correlate extremely well (r = 0.99) with the conventional overnight growth inhibition measurement. Four of the antibiotics were within a 20% concentration range and four were within a 60% concentration range of the drugs tested. This approach shortens the assay time needed, and it can be performed in 1 to 4 h, depending on the sensitivity needed. Furthermore, the assay can be automatized for high-throughput screening by the pharmaceutical industry.

scholarly journals An Ebola Virus-Like Particle-Based Reporter System Enables Evaluation of Antiviral DrugsIn Vivounder Non-Biosafety Level 4 Conditions

2016 ◽  
Vol 90 (19) ◽  
pp. 8720-8728 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dapeng Li ◽  
Tan Chen ◽  
Yang Hu ◽  
Yu Zhou ◽  
Qingwei Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Monoclonal Antibody ◽  
Viral Entry ◽  
Ebola Virus ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Target Cells ◽  
Reporter System ◽  
Biosafety Level

ABSTRACTEbola virus (EBOV) is a highly contagious lethal pathogen. As a biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) agent, however, EBOV is restricted to costly BSL-4 laboratories for experimentation, thus significantly impeding the evaluation of EBOV vaccines and drugs. Here, we report an EBOV-like particle (EBOVLP)-based luciferase reporter system that enables the evaluation of anti-EBOV agentsin vitroandin vivooutside BSL-4 facilities. Cotransfection of HEK293T cells with four plasmids encoding the proteins VP40, NP, and GP of EBOV and firefly luciferase (Fluc) resulted in the production of Fluc-containing filamentous particles that morphologically resemble authentic EBOV. The reporter EBOVLP was capable of delivering Fluc into various cultured cells in a GP-dependent manner and was recognized by a conformation-dependent anti-EBOV monoclonal antibody (MAb). Significantly, inoculation of mice with the reporter EBOVLP led to the delivery of Fluc protein into target cells and rapid generation of intense bioluminescence signals that could be blocked by the administration of EBOV neutralizing MAbs. This BSL-4-free reporter system should facilitate high-throughput screening for anti-EBOV drugs targeting viral entry and efficacy testing of candidate vaccines.IMPORTANCEEbola virus (EBOV) researches have been limited to costly biosafety level 4 (BSL-4) facilities due to the lack of animal models independent of BSL-4 laboratories. In this study, we reveal that a firefly luciferase-bearing EBOV-like particle (EBOVLP) with typical filamentous EBOV morphology is capable of delivering the reporter protein into murine target cells bothin vitroandin vivo. Moreover, we demonstrate that the reporter delivery can be inhibited bothin vitroandin vivoby a known anti-EBOV protective monoclonal antibody, 13C6. Our work provides a BSL-4-free system that can facilitate thein vivoevaluation of anti-EBOV antibodies, drugs, and vaccines. The system may also be useful for mechanistic study of the viral entry process.

scholarly journals Double Recombinant Mycobacterium bovis BCG Strain for Screening of Primary and Rationale-Based Antimycobacterial Compounds

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 1389-1396 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vandana Singh ◽  
Rajesh Kumar Biswas ◽  
Bhupendra N. Singh
Keyword(s):  
Mycobacterium Bovis ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene ◽  
Enhanced Expression ◽  
Reporter Strains ◽  
Double Recombinant ◽  
Dual Luciferase Reporter Assay

ABSTRACTConventional antimycobacterial screening involves CFU analysis, which poses a great challenge due to slow growth of mycobacteria. Recombinant strains carrying reporter genes under the influence of constitutive promoters allow rapid and wide screening of compounds but without revealing their modes of action. Reporter strains using pathway-specific promoters provide a better alternative but allow a limited screening of compounds interfering with only a particular metabolic pathway. This reduces these strains to merely a second-line screening system, as they fail to identify even the more potent compounds if they are not inhibiting the pathway of interest. In this study, we have generated a double recombinantMycobacterium bovisBCG strain carrying firefly andRenillaluciferase genes as two reporters under the control of a constitutive and an inducible mycobacterial promoter. The presence of dual reporters allows simultaneous expression and analysis of two reporter enzymes within a single system. The expression profile of the firefly luciferase gene, rendered by a constitutive mycobacterial promoter, coincides with the decline in bacterial growth in response to a wide range of antimycobacterial drugs, while the enhanced expression ofRenillaluciferase mirrors the selective induction of the reporter gene expression as a result of pathway-specific inhibition. Thus, the double recombinant strain allows the screening of both primary and rationally synthesized antimycobacterial compounds in a single assay. The inhibiting response of drugs was monitored with a dual-luciferase reporter assay which can be easily adapted in high-throughput mode.

The Luc2 gene enhances reliability of bicistronic assays

2013 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 423-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomáš Mašek ◽  
Václav Vopalenský ◽  
Martin Pospíšek
Keyword(s):  
Flow Cytometric Analysis ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Luciferase Gene ◽  
Coding Region ◽  
Entry Site ◽  
Internal Ribosome Entry ◽  
Reverse Transcription Pcr ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene ◽  
Cryptic Transcription

AbstractLuciferases are prominent reporters in molecular and cellular biology investigations including miRNA target studies and the determination of Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) activities in bicistronic assays. A majority of the current bicistronic vectors contain a firefly luciferase reporter as the second cistron. One reason for this is the presence of cryptic transcription start sites inside the luciferase gene. We present here an experimental evaluation of the cryptic transcription within the latest version of the firefly luciferase gene, luc2. Using flow cytometric analysis, we observed a negligible amount of cryptic transcriptional activity that was only slightly above the background of untransfected cells. Nevertheless, quantitative reverse transcription PCR experiments revealed a six-to-nine-fold gradual increase of transcription along the coding region of the gene. The level of cryptic transcription from the coding region of the improved luc2 firefly luciferase gene is significantly lower when compared to the luc+ gene. In summary, the luc2 better fulfills the requirements of bicistronic assays than the previous luc+ version. The observed low cryptic transcription activity in luc2 could be limiting only in cases where weak IRESs are studied.

scholarly journals APP1 Transcription Is Regulated by Inositol-phosphorylceramide Synthase 1-Diacylglycerol Pathway and Is Controlled by ATF2 Transcription Factor in Cryptococcus neoformans

2005 ◽  
Vol 280 (43) ◽  
pp. 36055-36064 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lydia Mare ◽  
Roberta Iatta ◽  
Maria Teresa Montagna ◽  
Chiara Luberto ◽  
Maurizio Del Poeta
Keyword(s):  
Transcription Factor ◽  
Cryptococcus Neoformans ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Negative Regulator ◽  
Bioactive Molecules ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Consensus Sequences ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene

Inositol-phosphorylceramide synthase 1 (Ipc1) is a fungal-specific enzyme that regulates the level of two bioactive molecules, phytoceramide and diacylglycerol (DAG). In previous studies, we demonstrated that Ipc1 regulates the expression of the antiphagocytic protein 1 (App1), a novel fungal factor involved in pathogenicity of Cryptococcus neoformans. Here, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which Ipc1 regulates App1. To this end, the APP1 promoter was fused to the firefly luciferase gene in the C. neofor-mans GAL7:IPC1 strain, in which the Ipc1 expression can be modulated, and found that the luciferase activity was indeed regulated when Ipc1 was modulated. Next, using the luciferase reporter assay in both C. neoformans wild-type and GAL7:IPC1 strains, we investigated the role of DAG and sphingolipids in the activation of the APP1 promoter and found that treatment with 1,2-dioctanoylglycerol does increase APP1 transcription, whereas treatment with phytosphingosine or ceramides does not. Two putative consensus sequences were found in the APP1 promoter for ATF and AP-2 transcription factors. Mutagenesis analysis of these sequences revealed that they play a key role in the regulation of APP1 transcription: ATF is an activator, whereas AP-2 in a negative regulator. Finally, we identified a putative Atf2 transcription factor, which is required for APP1 transcription and under the control of Ipc1-DAG pathway. These studies provide novel regulatory mechanisms of the sphingolipid pathway involved in the regulation of gene transcription of C. neoformans.

Isolation and Characterization of Broad-Spectrum Disease-Resistant Arabidopsis Mutants

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 160 (4) ◽  
pp. 1661-1671
Author(s):  
Klaus Maleck ◽  
Urs Neuenschwander ◽  
Rebecca M Cade ◽  
Robert A Dietrich ◽  
Jeffery L Dangl ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Syringae ◽  
Systemic Acquired Resistance ◽  
Acquired Resistance ◽  
Constitutive Expression ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Marker Genes ◽  
Arabidopsis Mutants ◽  
Isolation And Characterization ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene

Abstract To identify Arabidopsis mutants that constitutively express systemic acquired resistance (SAR), we constructed reporter lines expressing the firefly luciferase gene under the control of the SAR-inducible PR-1 promoter (PR-1/luc). After EMS mutagenesis of a well-characterized transgenic line, we screened 250,000 M2 plants for constitutive expression of the reporter gene in vivo. From a mutant collection containing several hundred putative mutants, we concentrated on 16 mutants lacking spontaneous hypersensitive response (HR) cell death. We mapped 4 of these constitutive immunity (cim) mutants to chromosome arms. Constitutive expression of disease resistance was established by analyzing responses to virulent Peronospora parasitica and Pseudomonas syringae strains, by RNA blot analysis for endogenous marker genes, and by determination of salicylic acid levels in the mutants. The variety of the cim phenotypes allowed us to define distinct steps in both the canonical SAR signaling pathway and a separate pathway for resistance to Erysiphe cichoracearum, active in only a subset of the mutants.

scholarly journals Assembly of Two Transgenes in an Artificial Chromatin Domain Gives Highly Coordinated Expression in Tobacco

Genetics ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 160 (2) ◽  
pp. 727-740
Author(s):  
Ludmila Mlynárová ◽  
Annelies Loonen ◽  
Elzbieta Mietkiewska ◽  
Ritsert C Jansen ◽  
Jan-Peter Nap
Keyword(s):  
Enzyme Activities ◽  
Firefly Luciferase ◽  
Chromatin Domain ◽  
Mrna Levels ◽  
Loop Model ◽  
Data Generation ◽  
Genome Data ◽  
The Matrix ◽  
Coordinated Expression ◽  
Firefly Luciferase Gene

Abstract The chromatin loop model predicts that genes within the same chromatin domain exhibit coordinated regulation. We here present the first direct experimental support for this model in plants. Two reporter genes, the E. coli β-glucuronidase gene and the firefly luciferase gene, driven by different promoters, were placed between copies of the chicken lysozyme A element, a member of the matrix-associated region (MAR) group of chromatin boundary elements, and introduced in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum). In plants carrying A elements, quantitative enzyme activities and mRNA levels of both genes show high correlations compared to control plants. The A element thus creates an artificial chromatin domain that yields coordinated expression. Surprisingly, enzyme activities correlated poorly with their respective mRNA levels. We hypothesize that this indicates the occurrence of “error pipelines” in data generation: systematic errors of a given analytical method will point in the same direction and cancel out in correlation analysis, resulting in better correlations. In combining different methods of analysis, however, such errors do not cancel out and as a result relevant correlations can be masked. Such error pipelines will have to be taken into account when different types of (e.g., whole-genome) data sets are combined in quantitative analyses.

Detection and Functional Evaluation of −262A/T and −188A/G Polymorphisms of SLAM Gene in Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (11) ◽  
pp. 2268-2272 ◽  
Author(s):  
YI YOU ◽  
ZHE WANG ◽  
GUO-HONG DENG ◽  
YI LIU ◽  
FEI HAO
Keyword(s):  
Systemic Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Lupus Erythematosus ◽  
Mononuclear Cells ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Chinese Patients ◽  
Luciferase Reporter ◽  
Functional Evaluation ◽  
Reporter System ◽  
Systemic Lupus ◽  
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear

Objective.Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule (SLAM) has been related to the pathology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) through regulation of T cell-dependent humoral immune responses. We investigated the functional associations of the −262A/T and −188A/G polymorphisms of SLAM in Chinese patients with SLE.Methods.Genotyping of −262A/T (rs2295614) and −188A/G (rs2295613) in SLAM was carried out in 248 cases and 278 controls. Promoter activities of haplotypes on the SLAM gene were evaluated with the dual-luciferase reporter system. The mRNA expressions of SLAM on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of SLE patients with different genotypes were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction.Results.Frequencies of −262A allele and −188G allele were significantly higher in SLE patients than in controls. Haplotype analysis and multifactorial logistic regression analysis showed that individuals with the AG/AG haplotype had increased susceptibility to SLE (p = 0.002, OR 1.478, 95% CI 1.152–1.897). In response to PHA stimulation, the SLAM mRNA expression on PBMC of SLE patients was significantly higher in −262A-188G haplotype homozygotes compared with −262A-188G heterozygotes and individuals with other genotypes.Conclusion.Our findings suggest that −262A-188G haplotype in the SLAM gene promoter contributes to the risk of SLE by increasing the expression of SLAM.

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