| abstract |
A modified form of beetle luciferase, which has been engineered for improved genetic reporting, is disclosed. The modified form contains one or more new features. Chief among these is removal of the peroxisomal translocation sequence to yield a cytoplasmic form of the enzyme. Other changes include removal of potentially interfering restriction sites and genetic regulatory sites from the gene, improvement of the codon usage for mammalian cells. The modified luciferase reporter enzyme is also devoid of potential N-glycosylation targets to minimize post-translational modification and remains in the cytoplasm of host cells to optimize substrate availability. |