| abstract |
Chemiluminescent substrates of hydrolytic enzymes are disclosed having general Formula Lumi-M-P, where Lumi is a chemiluminescent moiety capable of producing light (a) by itself, (b) with MP attached and (c) with M attached, wherein the different properties of Lumi-M-P and Lumi-M allow them to be distinguished. Lumi includes, but is not limited to, acridinium compounds (e.g. acridinium esters, carboxyamides, thioesters and oxime esters), reduced forms thereof (e.g. acridans), and spiroacridan compounds. M is selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. P is a group that can be readily removed by hydrolytic enzymes to give Lumi-M and P. The hydrolytic enzyme can be phosphatase, glycosidase, peptidase, protease, esterase, sulfatase and guanidinobenzoatase. |