Novel fluorogenic substrates for imaging β-lactamase gene expression

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/ja036126o

A new class of small nonfluorescent fluorogenic substrates becomes brightly fluorescent after β-lactamase hydrolysis with up to 153-fold enhancement in the fluorescence intensity. Less than 500 fM of β-lactamase in cell lysates can be readily detected, and β-lactamase expression in living cells can be imaged with a red fluorescence derivative. These new fluorogenic substrates should find uses in clinical diagnostics and facilitate the applications of β-lactamase as a biosensor. Copyright