RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Reconstructing Promoter Activity From Lux Bioluminescent Reporters
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 117093
DO 10.1101/117093
A1 Mudassar Iqbal
A1 Neil Doherty
A1 Anna M.L. Page
A1 Saara N.A. Qazi
A1 Ishan Ajmera
A1 Peter A. Lund
A1 Theodore Kypraios
A1 David J. Scott
A1 Philip J. Hill
A1 Dov J. Stekel
YR 2017
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2017/03/15/117093.abstract
AB The bacterial Lux system is used as a gene expression reporter. It is fast, sensitive and non-destructive, enabling high frequency measurements. Originally developed for bacterial cells, it has been adapted for eukaryotic cells, and can be used for whole cell biosensors, or in real time with live animals without the need for slaughter. However, correct interpretation of bioluminescent data is limited: the bioluminescence is different from gene expression because of nonlinear molecular and enzyme dynamics of the Lux system. We have developed a modelling approach that, for the first time, allows users of Lux assays to infer gene transcription levels from the light output. We show examples where a decrease in bioluminescence would be better interpreted as a switching off of the promoter, or where an increase in bioluminescence would be better interpreted as a longer period of gene expression. This approach could benefit all users of Lux technology.