New Promega Bioluminescent Assays Provide Greatest Sensitivity

Now scientists have tools that are 100- to 1,000-fold more sensitive than existing assays for caspase-2 and -6. Promega Corporation announces the expansion of bioluminescent caspase assays with the release of Caspase-Glo^® 2 and 6 Assays that will enable new insights to their physiological roles in apoptosis.

The superior sensitivity and broad linearity combined with a simple add-mix-measure protocol enable laboratories to more precisely monitor these caspase activities consistently and efficiently. The assays will aid in the understanding of caspase cross-reactivities, substrate specificities and the various peptide inhibitors critical for interpreting results from cell-based studies, as well as in high-throughput screening of inhibitors using purified enzyme.

The Caspase-Glo^® 2 and 6 Assay homogeneous protocols are both simple and flexible allowing for both high-throughput capacity or single sample analysis. The protocols consist of a single-step reagent addition of an optimized lysis/activity buffer and the Promega Ultra-Glo™ Recombinant Luciferase. In the presence of caspase, the substrate is cleaved, releasing aminoluciferin, which is consumed by luciferase, resulting in a "glow-type" luminescent signal that is proportional to caspase activity.

The bioluminescent assays avoid potential problems associated with fluorescence interference encountered in fluorescence-based caspase assays when assaying compound libraries. The low background provides excellent signal-to-background ratios and exquisite sensitivity. (Data available upon request.) The superior sensitivity allows you to decrease your assay costs because less enzyme is required. The stable luminescent signal allows batch processing of plates, no injectors required. The broad linearity allows scalability from 96- to 1536-well format.