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Analytical chemiluminescence and bioluminescence: latest achievements and new horizons

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Abstract

Chemiluminescence (CL) and bioluminescence (BL) are the detection techniques of choice for the development of highly sensitive analytical methods, from immunoassays and nucleic acid hybridization assays to whole-cell biosensors. Nevertheless, basic and applied research on CL and BL aimed at further improving their analytical performance is still very active. This research covers diverse and complementary fields, including (among others) enhancing the light emission efficiency of CL systems, the use of nanomaterials to catalyze or enhance CL/BL reactions, the study of BL proteins to elucidate the color modulation mechanism, the discovery of new BL systems, the production of thermostable BL protein mutants with altered emission spectra, the development of BL imaging techniques to expand our understanding of living systems, and the implementation of CL/BL detection in miniaturized analytical devices. In the near future, we expect even greater diffusion of CL/BL-based analytical methods, especially in portable analytical devices intended for applications ranging from environmental analysis to companion diagnostics for personalized medicine.

BL/CL systems and applications (clockwise from top left): in vivo BL imaging, BRET-based system for conformation studies, CL immunohistochemistry in tissue sections, structure of bacterial luciferase, CL systems with different emission wavelenghts, luciferin molecule

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bologna, Alma Mater Studiorum, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy

    Aldo Roda & Massimo Guardigli

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  1. Aldo Roda
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  2. Massimo Guardigli
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Correspondence to Aldo Roda.

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Published in the 10th Anniversary Issue.

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Roda, A., Guardigli, M. Analytical chemiluminescence and bioluminescence: latest achievements and new horizons. Anal Bioanal Chem 402, 69–76 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-011-5455-8

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