HEAT RESISTANT FIREFLY LUCIFERASE, THE LUSIFERASE GENE, NEW RECOMBINANT DNA AND PRODUCTION OF THE LUCIFERASE

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a new thermally stable firefly luciferase gene which codes for the amino acid sequence having mutation in a specific position of the amino acid sequence of wild-type firefly luciferase and is used for the production or the like of heat resistant firefly luciferase useful in the microassay or the like of ATP. SOLUTION: This heat resistant firefly luciferase gene is a new gene, which codes for the amino acid sequence in which the amino acid in the 313 position on the amino acid sequence of wild-type firefly luciferase or the amino acid in the position equal to the 313 position of the luciferase of North American firefly is mutated to a hydrophobic amino acid, and is used in the efficient production or the like of heat resistant firefly luciferase useful in the microassay or the like of ATP. This luciferase gene is obtained by bringing a wild-type firefly luciferase gene or a recombinant DNA integrating this gene into contact with a medicine functioning as a mutagen to react them.