title: A simple and highly sensitive method of measuring heme oxygenase activity.
abstract: Heme oxygenase (HO) is a rate-limiting step of heme degradation, which catalyzes the conversion of heme into biliverdin, iron, and CO. HO has been characterized in microorganisms, insects, plants, and mammals. Previously used assays of HO activity were complicated and had low sensitivity. We found that the use of an eel bilirubin-bound fluorescent protein, UnaG, can achieve a highly sensitive and simple assay of HO activity. Using several enzyme sources including human culture cells, homogenates of plant tissues, and recombinant yeast HO, data were successfully obtained. The present method can facilitate the examination of HO in various organisms.
authors.forename: Pham Hieu
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Liem
authors.forename: Anfeng
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mu
authors.forename: Shun-ichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kikuta
authors.forename: Kazushi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohta
authors.forename: Sakihito
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitajima
authors.forename: Shigeru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Taketani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001663:Bilirubin / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D004524:Eels; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing) / Q000378:metabolism*; D056945:Hep G2 Cells; D006801:Humans; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000201:enzymology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000201:enzymology; D012441:Saccharomyces cerevisiae / Q000201:enzymology; D014026:Nicotiana / Q000201:enzymology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D006419:Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing); D001663:Bilirubin