A cost-effective, high-performance solution for luciferase reporter assays
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In modern molecular and cellular biology, firefly luciferase reporter assays remain one of the most widely used approaches for studying gene expression and signal transduction pathways (for an overview, please see reporter cell lines from BPS Biosciences). Whether you are analysing promoter activity, validating regulatory elements, or screening pathway modulators, the reliability and sensitivity of your luciferase assay directly impact the quality of your results. The One-Step™ Luciferase Assay from BPS Bioscience has been developed to meet the practical needs of researchers: high sensitivity, stable signals, simplified workflows, and cost efficiency, without compromising data quality. If your laboratory runs luciferase assays routinely, this reagent offers a powerful and budget-friendly alternative to conventional systems. |
Designed for Researchers Working with Luciferase Reporter Cell Lines
Firefly luciferase is commonly used as a reporter gene to monitor the transcription of genetic constructs in cell lines where luciferase expression is controlled by a specific promoter.
BPS Biosciences has extensive expertise in developing reporter cell lines for signal transduction research, enabling scientists to investigate key biological pathways with robust, reproducible tools.
To complement these cellular models, BPS Biosciences developed the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay, a reagent optimised for highly sensitive quantification of firefly luciferase activity in mammalian cell culture.
Figure 1: Bioluminescent reaction catalyzed by luciferase.
A Streamlined Assay Workflow
Figure 2: Workflow of the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay. The protocol is designed as a homogeneous one-step assay, allowing rapid processing of samples while maintaining excellent sensitivity.
The One-Step™ Luciferase Assay consists of two components:
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Luciferase Reagent Buffer (Component A)
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Luciferase Reagent Substrate (Component B)
Once mixed, these components form a Master Mix containing all reagents required for both cell lysis and luciferase detection. This eliminates multiple preparation steps and simplifies assay handling.
Bright & Stable Luminescence Signals
One of the key challenges in luciferase assays is signal stability. Many reagents produce strong initial signals that decay rapidly, forcing laboratories to read plates immediately and limiting experimental flexibility.
The One-Step™ Luciferase Assay generates a bright luminescent signal that remains stable for hours, allowing researchers to measure plates without strict timing constraints.
Figure 3: Stability of the luminescence signal of the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay.
Figure 4: Performance comparison of the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay with a leading competitor.
Why Researchers Choose the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay
Looking for Dual-Reporter Assays?
High sensitivity
Detect even low levels of firefly luciferase activity with reliable signal intensity, supporting precise quantification across a wide dynamic range.
Long signal stability
Luminescence remains stable for more than two hours, providing flexibility in plate reading and experimental scheduling.
Simple one-step protocol
The homogeneous workflow reduces handling steps, minimises pipetting errors, and improves reproducibility.
Ideal for high-throughput screening
The simplified assay format is well-suited for HTS applications, enabling efficient screening of compounds or pathway modulators.
Broad compatibility
The assay performs well in commonly used culture media containing 0–10% serum and phenol red, allowing easy integration into existing experimental protocols.
No injector required
The assay does not require a luminometer equipped with injectors, making it compatible with standard plate readers.
For experiments requiring internal normalisation or dual-reporter measurements, BPS Bioscience also offers the TWO-Step Luciferase (Firefly & Renilla) Assay.
This assay enables rapid, high-throughput quantification of both Firefly and Renilla luciferases from a single sample in mammalian cell culture, providing robust data normalisation for reporter assays.
Figure 5: TWO-Step Luciferase (Firefly & Renilla) Assay System protocol overview.
The Firefly Luciferase Reagent is added directly to the cell culture medium. This reagent lyses the cells and contains a substrate that allows Firefly luciferase to generate a luminescence signal. Next, the Renilla Luciferase Reagent is added to the same well. The reagent quenches the Firefly luciferase luminescence and provides the substrate for Renilla luciferase to generate Renilla luciferase luminescence signal. The signal generated by both reactions can be conveniently measured on a luminometer.
Ready to Optimise your Luciferase Assays?
Would you like to improve assay performance while reducing reagent costs?
We offer introductory testing opportunities for the One-Step™ Luciferase Assay and the TWO-Step Luciferase (Firefly & Renilla) Assay.
Get in touch today to request your introductory offer.
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References
Article content created by Tebubio using courtesy materials provided by BPS Bioscience.
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