luciferase as in vitro translation control

[Dave Bates]

In article <CntqCs.FtB at umdnj.edu>
bawagan at umdnj.edu (Hinayana Bawagan) writes:

> 
>     I have ordered the rabbit reticulocyte system from Promega which >provides luciferase as the positive control.  I am wondering which of the >assays - standard one using luminometer or scintillation counter; or the >photographic assay - is more
convenient.  I have not done any in vitro >translation before so I will
appreciate any comments and suggestions.  Thank >you very much.

Depends on what you're doing with it. If you have cell lysates which
you just want to assay, the LSC is very sensitive, and I find it more
useful. If you want to know where abouts its expressed (i.e. in which
cells), or run it on a gel you'll need the photographic assay, unless
you have a really fancy luminometer which reads gels (?!?). I don't use
that rabbit reticulocyte system, but I do find that the LCS is quick,
easy and very sensitive for detecting expression of luc in cell culture
in general.


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Dave Bates,                                        dobates at ucdavis.edu
Department of Human Physiology, University of California at Davis
 
No I don't have a sense of humour, now buy me a beer
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