Beta-glucuronidase protocols
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Introduction
These are methods to screen for and assay the activity of the common reporter enzyme β-Glucuronidase (GUS) activity. Because the catalytic activity of β-Glucuronidase is very similar to β-Galactosidase (LacZ) these protocols are also very similar to the LacZ protocols.
Plate Screen
Materials
- Media of choice
- Agar
- X-gluc stock solution (50mg/mL in DMF)
Method
- Prepare your liquid media and add the desired amount of agar (usually 1-2%).
- Autoclave the media for the requisite time.
- Add 1.2μL of X-gluc stock solution for every mL of media (e.g. if making 1L of media add 1.2ml of stock solution)
- If desired, add antibiotic.
- Pour plates.
Notes
Culture Screen
Materials
- Cultured Cells
- Suspension Buffer (50mM NaH2PO4
- X-gluc stock solution (50mg/mL)
- Solubility solution (9:1 acetone to toluene (v/v))
Method
- Pellet 1ml of culture by centrifugation
- Discard the supernatant and resuspend the pellet in 400μL Suspension Buffer
- Add 25ul of Permeability Solution to cell suspension.
- Incubate at 37°C for 30-60 minutes.
- Add 5μL of X-gluc stock solution.
- Color should develop shortly.
Notes
- Depending on what cells you're using, the solvent mix may not permeabilize your cells. In such a case you might attempt using 25μL of chloroform or 12.5μL of 1%SDS or both.
Assay
Materials
- GUS Buffer (50mM NaH2PO4, 10mM β-mercaptoethanol, 1mM EDTA and 0.1% Triton X-100)