Haloperoxidase acid optimum chemiluminescence assay system

Abstract

A highly sensitive chemiluminescent indicator system is disclosed for determining the presence or amount of an analyte in a liquid sample. The new acid optimum chemiluminescent indicator system comprises haloperoxidase (halide:hydrogen peroxide oxidoreductase), halide, oxidant and chemiluminigenic substrate. The indicator system acts as a synthesizer of highly reactive singlet molecular oxygen (.sup.1 O.sub.2), which reacts with the chemiluminigenic substrate to yield an excited state, oxidized reaction product. The excited state reaction product then relaxes to a lower energy (e.g., ground) state with the emission of measurable light in an amount related to the amount of each of the reaction participants present in a reaction solution. Known, non-rate limiting amounts of three of the reaction participants are provided in an assay solution to determine the presence or amount of the fourth participant in a test sample. The fourth participant in the test sample may be the analyte of interest, or may be produced or consumed in the test sample through one or more preliminary reactions involving the ultimate analyte of interest, with the amount of the fourth participant being related to the amount of analyte in the test solution. Accordingly, the indicator system of the invention may be employed for the determination of a wide variety of analytes. The indicator system operates most efficiently over the range from acid to slightly basic pH, e.g., at a pH of about 3 to about 8. Also described is a variety of illustrative assay formats in which the indicator reaction of the invention may be employed, as well as kits for use in carrying out assays utilizing the haloperoxidase/halide/oxidant/substrate indicator system.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.