Work

Autonomous bioluminescence imaging of single mammalian cells with the bacterial bioluminescence system

Year: 2019

Type: article

Abstract: Significance Bioluminescence is generated by luciferases that oxidize a specific luciferin. The enzymes involved in the synthesis of the luciferin from widespread cellular metabolites have so far been identified for only 2 bioluminescence systems, those of bacteria and fungi. In these cases, the complete reaction cascade is genetically encodable, meaning that heterologous expression of the corresponding genes can potentially produce autonomous bioluminescence in cell types other than the bacterial or fungal host cells. However, the light levels achieved in mammalian cells so far are not sufficient for single-cell applications. Here we present autonomous bioluminescence images of single mammalian cells by coexpression of the genes encoding the 6 enzymes from the bacterial bioluminescence system.

Source: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1913616116

Authors: Carola Gregor, Jasmin K. Pape, Klaus C. Gwosch, Tanja Gilat, Steffen J. Sahl, Stefan W. Hell

Institutions: Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research

Language: English

Topic: bioluminescence and chemiluminescence research

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funder: East China University of Science and Technology

OpenAlex ID: W2992392691