Patent ID: 7695900

Claim:
A method for detecting a biologically active substance, comprising the steps of: a) providing a planar separation system carrying biologically active substances to be tested, b) coating the planar separation system with a suspension of luminescent Vibrio fischeri bacteria that have been cultured in a growth medium comprising between 10 mg/l and 500 mg/l aspartic acid, the suspension further comprising a luminescence-stimulating additive for extending the period of luminescence of the luminescent bacteria, said additive being selected from the group consisting of a N-acylhomoserine lactone, a dipeptide, a oligopeptide, a boron compound, and a quinolone, and c) allowing said bacteria to react with said biologically active substances; d) measuring the luminescence of the suspension of bacteria, wherein a change in luminescence, relative to the luminescence measured in the absence of a biologically active substance, identifies the tested substance to be a biologically active substance.