Luciferase experiments Help!!!!

[Stuart Kuhstoss]

In Article <Reon.3.2F83D793 at INFRUIT1.AGRIC.ZA>, Reon at INFRUIT1.AGRIC.ZA (Reon
Brand ) wrote:
>Hi 
>
>
>Anyone out there ever used decanal (n-decyl aldehyde) as a substrate for 
>luciferase? I've got the stuff, but don't know how to use it. I also cannot 
>find any articles that are usefull.
>
>
>Thanx !!
>
>Reon

Decanal is used as a substrate for bacterial luciferase.  It won't work for
firefly luciferase.  If you're using the bacterial luciferase, decanal is
pretty easy to work with.  We've just spotted some decanal on a piece of
filter paper and placed it in the lid of a petri dish.  The vapors will
diffuse into your organism and should give you light.  In liquid culture,
I've just shot a little decanal into the medium.  It's not very soluble, but
enough seems to remain around to get into the cells.  These aren't very
quantitative techniques, but should work for simple yes/no questions.  

Stu Kuhstoss