title: Single bacterial cell detection using a mutant luciferase.
abstract: Previously, we constructed a genetically modified luciferase of Photinus pyralis that generates more than 10-fold higher luminescence intensity than the wild-type enzyme. In this study, we demonstrate that this modified luciferase enables us to detect ATP at 10(-18) mol, which is almost equal to the quantity contained in a single bacterial cell. Consequently,we have been able to detect bacterial contamination in samples as low as one colony-forming unit (c.f.u.) for both Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Research on Integration of Semiconductor and Biotechnology, Hiroshima University, 1-3-1 Kagamiyama, Higashihiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8530, Japan. noda@hiroshima-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Noda
authors.forename: Tadahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Matsuno
authors.forename: Hiroya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Tomonari
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kogure
authors.forename: Masaaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urata
authors.forename: Yasuo
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Asami
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuroda
mesh_terms: D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases / Q000032:analysis; D001412:Bacillus subtilis / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D049409:Luciferases, Firefly / Q000032:analysis*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D016297:Mutagenesis, Site-Directed
chemical_list: D049409:Luciferases, Firefly; D000251:Adenosine Triphosphatases