Sensitive assay for mycoplasma detection in mammalian cell culture

Anal Chem. 2012 May 1;84(9):4227-32. doi: 10.1021/ac2033112. Epub 2012 Apr 16.

Abstract

Mycoplasma contamination in mammalian cell cultures is often overlooked yet is a serious issue which can induce a myriad of cellular changes leading to false interpretation of experimental results. Here, we present a simple and sensitive assay to monitor mycoplasma contamination (mycosensor) based on degradation of the Gaussia luciferase reporter in the conditioned medium of cells. This assay proved to be more sensitive as compared to a commercially available bioluminescent assay in detecting mycoplasma contamination in seven different cell lines. The Gaussia luciferase mycosensor assay provides an easy tool to monitor mammalian cell contaminants in a high-throughput fashion.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line
  • Copepoda / enzymology*
  • Enzyme Assays / methods*
  • Humans
  • Luciferases / metabolism*
  • Mycoplasma / isolation & purification*
  • Mycoplasma Infections / diagnosis*
  • Recombinant Proteins / metabolism
  • Sensitivity and Specificity

Substances

  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Luciferases