Secreted Luciferase

A relatively new paper in Nature Methods describes the use of a new luciferase, GLuc. Apparently it is 2000times more detectable than Renilla luciferase and is secreted from mammalian cells in culture. This property allows one to quantify luciferase in mice that have implanted GLuc expressing cells by a quick assay on whole blood. Of course, as the ultimate test they use an oncolytic virus to show regression of a GLuc expressing mouse tumour in vivo by assaying Gluc activity of whole blood after oncolytic virus treatment. Sounds like an excellent new tool, especially for those who don't have access to an in vivo imaging system..