Rodriguez J F, Rodriguez D, Rodriguez J R, McGowan E B, Esteban M
Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn 11203.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1988 Mar;85(5):1667-71. doi: 10.1073/pnas.85.5.1667.
We have introduced the firefly luciferase gene of Photinus pyralis into the vaccinia virus genome. This gene is expressed in a coordinate fashion during virus infection. Luminescence produced by the action of luciferase [Photinus-luciferin:oxygen 4-oxidoreductase(decarboxylating, ATP-hydrolyzing), EC 1.13.12.7] was easily detectable in infected cells in culture as well as in cells of tissues of infected mice. The limits of detection were about one infected cell in a background of a million noninfected cells. The luciferase assay was about 1000-fold more sensitive than that of beta-galactosidase. Our findings show that the luciferase assay can be conveniently used to follow viral gene expression and virus dissemination both in cell cultures and in tissues of infected animals.
我们已将萤火虫（Photinus pyralis）的荧光素酶基因引入痘苗病毒基因组。该基因在病毒感染期间以协同方式表达。荧光素酶[Photinus-荧光素：氧4-氧化还原酶（脱羧，ATP水解），EC 1.13.12.7]作用产生的发光在培养的感染细胞以及感染小鼠的组织细胞中很容易检测到。检测限约为百万个未感染细胞背景中的一个感染细胞。荧光素酶测定法的灵敏度比β-半乳糖苷酶测定法高约1000倍。我们的研究结果表明，荧光素酶测定法可方便地用于追踪细胞培养物和感染动物组织中的病毒基因表达及病毒传播。
