Patent ID: 7384758
Filing Date: 2008-06-10
Classification: C07D,C12Q

Abstract:
1. A luminescent assay method to detect one or more caspases, comprising: a) providing a mixture comprising a sample suspected of having one or more caspases, luciferase and an amino-modified aminoluciferin or a carboxy-terminal protected derivative thereof, wherein the modification is the covalent linkage of a substrate for the caspase to the amino group of aminoluciferin or the derivative thereof via a peptide bond, and wherein if present in the sample the caspase cleaves the substrate at the peptide bond; and b) detecting luminescence in the mixture, thereby detecting the presence or amount of one or more caspases in the sample, wherein the luminescent assay is more sensitive than a corresponding assay with a conjugate comprising a fluorophore covalently linked to the substrate or a functional equivalent thereof.