MUTANT LUCIFERASES

摘要

Proteins are provided having luciferase activity with lower Km than wild-type luciferases by altering the amino acid residue at position 270 of the wild-type to an amino acid other than glutamate. Greater heat stability than wild-type luciferases while retaining the lower Km is provided by also replacing the glutamate equivalent to that at position 354 of Photinus pyralis luciferase or 356 of Luciola luciferases with an alternative amino acid, particularly lysine and/or the amino acid residue at 215 of Photinus pyralis and 217 of the Luciola species with a hydrophobic amino acid. DNA, vectors and cells that encode for and express the proteins are also provided as are test kits and reagents for carrying out luminescence assays using the proteins of the invention.