Patent ID: 6696266
Filing Date: 2004-02-24
Classification: C12Q

Abstract:
A method for assaying ammonia and/or ammonium ions in a liquid sample, said method comprising:a) performing a main reaction comprising incubating said sample with NAD synthetase, ATP, desamido-NAD and at least one of Mg2+ and Mn2+ ions, thereby to generate oxidized NAD; b) converting said oxidized NAD to reduced NAD in a secondary reaction system comprising an amine substrate and a dehydrogenase that catalyzes a reaction (i) generating ammonia molecules from said amine substrate and (ii) generating said reduced NAD from said oxidized NAD; wherein said ammonia molecules generated in step b) then participate in continuing said main reaction of step a), thereby to effect cycling of ammonia molecules from step b) to step a); and c) determining ammonia and/or ammonium ion content of said liquid sample from an amount of a component generated or consumed by said secondary reaction system.