Bioluminescent Reporter Assays
Bioluminescent Reporter Assays - Related Videos
11:31
'Bioluminescent' Reporter Phage for the Detection of Category A Bacterial Pathogens
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Cited by 18 •
2011
A simple method for the identification of priority bacterial pathogens is to use genetically engineered reporter phage. These reporter phage, which are specific to their particular host species, are capable of rapidly transducing a bioluminescent signal response to host cells. Herein, we describe the use of reporter phage for the detection of Yersinia pestis.
08:32
The ATP Bioluminescence Assay
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2023
In fireflies, the luciferase enzyme converts a compound called luciferin into oxyluciferin, and produces light or “luminescence” as a result. This reaction requires energy derived from ATP in order to proceed, so researchers have exploited the luciferase-luciferin interaction to gauge ATP levels in cells. Given ATP’s role as the cell’s currency of energy, the ATP bioluminescence assay can provide insight into cellular metabolism and overall cell health.In this video, JoVE discusses cellular...
12:19
In vitro and in vivo Bioluminescence Reporter Gene Imaging of Human Embryonic Stem Cells
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Cited by 28 •
2008
With the growing interest in stem cell therapies, molecular imaging techniques are ideal for monitoring stem cell behavior after transplantation. Luciferase reporter genes have enabled non-invasive, repetitive assessment of cell survival, location, and proliferation in vivo. This video will demonstrate how to track hESC proliferation in a living mouse.
10:38
Monitoring Cell-autonomous Circadian Clock Rhythms of Gene Expression Using Luciferase Bioluminescence Reporters
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Cited by 78 •
2012
Circadian clocks function within individual cells, i.e., they are cell-autonomous. Here, we describe methods for generating cell-autonomous clock models using non-invasive, luciferase-based real-time bioluminescence technology. Reporter cells provide tractable, functional model systems for studying circadian biology.
03:11
Bioreporter Assay: A Sensitive Technique using a Bioluminescent Reporter System to Detect SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies
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2025
In this video, we show the HiBit-RBD bioreporter system-based assay for detecting SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies. This system targets the viral RBD domain by using a bioluminescent reporter system containing HiBiT fused to the RBD domain.
FAQs
The substrate initiates the luciferase-catalyzed reaction, producing light that can be detected as an assay signal. Because emitted light is proportional to reporter activity, stronger signal generally indicates greater activity of the promoter-linked reporter under the tested conditions. This converts otherwise invisible molecular regulation into a quantitative readout suitable for comparing biological responses.
The selected promoter or regulatory sequence determines which gene-control event the engineered cells report. Linking the reporter to a sequence responsive to a particular signal allows assay activity to reflect changes in gene expression or cellular signaling associated with that control element. Consequently, assay design connects the measured light to a defined biological pathway or regulatory question.
High sensitivity helps detect relatively small changes in reporter activity, while a broad dynamic range allows measurements across differing activity levels without losing useful separation between responses. Together, these characteristics strengthen comparisons among treatments or pathway states. They are especially valuable when assays must distinguish graded drug effects rather than only large, easily visible changes.
Light output provides a numerical signal that can be collected across many assay conditions, making the method compatible with automated screening. When reporter activity is linked to a promoter or regulatory sequence, screening can compare how different treatments alter a defined molecular response. This supports systematic evaluation of drug effects and pathway activation rather than relying only on qualitative observation.
A typical workflow begins with cells engineered so that a reporter is controlled by the promoter or regulatory sequence of interest. The assay then applies the relevant experimental condition, adds the reporter substrate, and measures emitted light. Comparing signals across conditions reveals whether the tested treatment or biological state changes the targeted gene-regulatory or signaling activity.
In medical research, these assays can show how candidate drugs alter a regulated pathway, help investigate molecular changes associated with disease mechanisms, and evaluate therapeutic gene regulation. The same quantitative signal can support work spanning basic research and clinical drug development by indicating whether an intervention changes the biological activity represented by the selected reporter system.