Bioluminescent Reporter
Bioluminescent Reporter - 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.
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.
05:44
Monitoring Circadian Oscillations with a Bioluminescence Reporter in Organoids
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Cited by 1 •
2024
Circadian rhythms, which exist in most organisms, regulate the temporal organization of biological processes. 3D organoids have recently emerged as a physiologically relevant in vitro model. This protocol describes the use of bioluminescent reporters to observe circadian rhythms in organoids, enabling in vitro investigations of circadian rhythms in multicellular systems.
02:02
Bioluminescence Imaging of Bacterial Infections in Mice
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2026
Source: de Vries, C. R., et al., A Delayed Inoculation Model of Chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa Wound Infection. J. Vis. Exp. (2020).This video demonstrates a bioluminescent imaging technique to monitor bacterial infection progression in a live mouse model. Pathogenic bacteria engineered with the luxABCDE reporter system emit light at the infection site, allowing visualization of metabolically active bacteria. By imaging the mouse over time, researchers can non-invasively track infection...
FAQs
The measurable signal arises from the luciferase-luciferin reaction: luciferase catalyzes oxidation of luciferin, producing light. Because the system is genetically encoded, light output can be associated with reporter expression or cellular activity in a living sample. This creates a readout that links molecular regulation to observable biological behavior without requiring direct visual observation of the underlying event.
Longitudinal imaging allows the same living sample to be followed across multiple time points, rather than requiring disruption at every measurement. That continuity is important when infection or immune responses change over time, because investigators can relate successive signals to disease progression, treatment effects, or host-pathogen interactions. It also reduces the need for separate samples at each time point.
Interpretation depends on what biological process the reporter is designed to monitor. When associated with gene expression, emitted light can indicate reporter activity; in infection studies, it can instead help follow pathogen activity, growth, or dissemination. The same light-producing principle therefore supports different biological readouts, and conclusions must be tied to the reporter’s intended target.
An experimental setup typically includes a genetically encoded reporter, the luciferase enzyme, its luciferin substrate, a living sample, and a method for measuring emitted light through imaging. The reporter connects the target biological event with light production, while substrate oxidation generates the measurable signal. Repeated measurements can then follow changes in the same sample over time.
These reporters are useful when researchers need to connect events in infected samples with changes observed during disease progression. They can support studies of host-pathogen interactions, microbial dissemination, immune-cell responses, vaccine responses, and antimicrobial efficacy. Their value is especially clear when repeated measurements are needed to compare biological progression or treatment effects across an experiment.
By measuring light in living samples, investigators can track changes rather than relying only on an endpoint. The resulting time-resolved information can show whether microbial activity, immune-cell responses, or disease-associated processes change during an experiment. In treatment studies, these measurements help assess antimicrobial efficacy; in vaccine work, they help examine responses while preserving the sample for continued observation.