- Email: [email protected]
5th International symposium on bioluminescence and chemiluminescence
trendsinanalyticalchemistry,vol.8, no. 2,1989
appear from other symposiathat the quality of the science involved may be inverselyproportional to the number of papers presented. The Zlatkis Symposia have shown an optimum balance between scientific quality and the size of the program. It is
47
hoped that the Minnesota Chromatography Discussion Group will maintain this balance. R. P. W. SCOTT Dr. R. P. W. Scott’s address is 2 Sprucewood Lane, Aron, CT 06001, U.S.A.
Fundamentals and applications of bioluminescence and chemiluminesckce
A report of the Fifth International Symposium on Bioluminescence
These occasional meetings, held at two to three year intervals, embrace both the applications and fundamentals of the subject. Previous symposia were held in Brussels, Belgium (1978), San Diego, U.S.A. (1981), Birmingham, U.K. (1984), and Freiburg, F.R.G. (1986). The next one is scheduled for June 1990 at Harvard. Around 350 delegates registered for the Symposium which commenced in Florence at the Palazzo dei Congressi on Sunday evening with the DeLuca Memorial Lecture given by Professor Hastings, who discussed the biochemistry and circadian control of the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Gonyaulux. The Marlene DeLuca price (donated by Laboratorium Prof. Dr. Berthold, Wildbad, F.R.G.) for the best abstract submitted by a young worker, was shared by Dr. Reiber of the University of Gottingen (luminescence of brain cell preparations) and Dr. Hauber from the University of Munich (protein blotting and nucleic hybridisation detected using firefly luciferase and luciferyl-O-phosphate). There were around eighty invited and contributed papers and about a hundred posters. Concurrent sessions were held and the programme included half day workshops on three commercially available luminescence immunoassays. On Tuesday the symposium programme moved to Bologna with del-
egates travelling by special train. The University of Bologna is this year celebrating its Ninth Century Anniversary as the oldest university in the world and the occasion was also marked by the conferring of an Honorary Doctorate on Professor McElroy in recognition of his outstanding achievements in forty years of work on bioluminescence, particularly on the firefly system. Two lectures were presented in which reminiscences were given of working in McElroy’s team in earlier days. Seliger recounted field work in Jamaica and Hastings the early days at John Hopkins University. As a contrast to work done three decades ago a further two lectures were presented showing very modern aspects of bioluminescence. Baldwin spoke about lux genes in Photobacterium and Wood discussed his recent work done in the McElroy and DeLuca laboratory on site directed mutagenesis of the luciferases from the click beetle (Pyrophorus) with some excellent illustrations showing the various colours of light that may be produced . The symposium opened on Monday with a sesssion on firefly bioluminescence. The first two lectures covered the fundamental biochemistry and addressed aspects of genetic engineering and luciferase enzyme light kinetics. These were followed by three others on the application of ATP assays, particularly in rapid microbiology, and the do’s and don’ts of the technique. Sensitivities for ATP in the subfemtomole range are now rather easily accessible. Photoemission from living organisms and our understanding of the chemistry
and physics of the underlying processeswas the topic the next session. Of particular interest was the paper by Khan on singlet oxygen spectroscopy in biological reactions. Luminescence immunoassay formed a major portion of the symposium with papers from Ekins, Woodhead and Yegorov amongst some twenty contributions. It was clear from these papers and the posters that exciting advances have been made since the last meeting two years ago with new labels and new end-point species being introduced. Further, new luminescent enzyme substrates for use with enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase were described and which allow sensitivities for analytes in the attomole range. A new session for these symposia covered luminescence-based biosensors with immunosensors and luminescent reagents and luciferases immobilised onto transparent materials which are then viewed directly by a photomultiplier or via an optical fibre. Such electrodes may be used upwards of fifty times for some formats. Luminescent Escherichia coli was also described as a sensor for biologically active compounds Chemiluminescence and bioluminescence-based applications were covered by a range of lectures and posters, and included clinical applications for platelets and hormones together with a substantial number of contributions concerning genetic engineering (lux genes, reporter genes etc.) and chemiluminescent-based detection for DNA hybridisation and probes. Bacterial luciferase to assay NAD(P)H and compounds conjugate with it (such as bile acids and dehydrogenases as well as immobilised luciferases and peroxidases) were also reported. There was also a review by Campbell on the use of photoproteins in measuring ionic calcium in cells and other situations. New reagents for post-column detection of compounds eluted from high-performance liquid chromatography columns by chemiluminescence were also featured. A substantial number of contributions covered luminescence from phagocytosis including clinical applications and fundamentals with dis-
48
trendsinanalyticalchemistry,vol.8, no. 2,1989
cussion of the oxygen chemistry involved in this process. The use of microtitre plate luminometers to appraise up to ninety-six samples at a time was reported by two groups of workers. The contributions in the phagocytosis and allied areas were very diverse and justice cannot be done to them in this short review. Interested readers should consult the abstracts which are now available (see below). Photon imaging was also covered and one contributor (Scott) showed a very impressive video-film in timelapse mode of light being emitted
from germinating seeds. The use of a
uted papers will be published as a
charge coupled device (CCD), usually used by astronomers, was reported for the ultrasensitive detection of afetoprotein and other clinically relevant compounds. The possibilities of imaging by such instruments opens up a new dimension in cellular investigations as well as for the detection of luminescent areas on chromatograms, electrophoretograms, microtitre plates and similar. The symposium abstracts have been published in the Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence (Vol. 2, No. 4). The contrib-
special supplement to the Journal and the posters will appear as short papers in forthcoming regular issues of the same. Professor Pazzagli (University of Florence) and Professor Roda (University of Bologna) and their teams are to be congratulated upon an extremely well run and successful symposium. PHILIP E . STANLEY Philip E. Stanley is a Consultant Scientist, 48 Glisson Road, Cambridge, CBI 2HF, U.K.
Essential information for all active in bioengineering and biotechnology...
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Yearbook
FORADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR
North America and Japan Edition 1988/89 edited by Alan G. Walton, Oxford Partners, Stamford, CT, and S.K. Hammet’, President, ‘Verbatim”, Tarrytown, NY, USA
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES USA/CANADA
MichaelBaer Here is the latest edition of a book which is “the definitive source for company information in this rapidly expanding field.” (New Technical Books). The 1988-89 edition of the Yearbook is in two separate volumes and features: 0 a new, easy-to-use format l
in-depth corporate profiles of more than 300 US companies whose primary business, research and products involve
genetic engineering l
l
l
l
550 other US companies with genetic engineering activities a completely new directory of 300 venture capital companies with interests in biotechnology over 200 Japanese company profiles over 100 Canadian company profiles
l
l
A Fields of Focus product index (in chart form) for ‘at-aglance’ identification of fields of interest of each company comprehensive cross-index of companies to enable easy tracing of the numerous, often complex, intercompany links.
Each company profile includes the company’s name, address, phone number, contact person and, in most cases, the business history, structure, ownership/management, research update, status and availability of products, and financial information. The new Yearbook is a MUST for venture capital companies, large industrial coporations and anyone with an investment interest in genetic engineering. 1988 vi + 7404 pages (2 vols.) lJS$975.00 I Dfl. 2000.00 ISBN o-444-4304 l-5
50 East 42nd NEW
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appear from other symposiathat the quality of the science involved may be inverselyproportional to the number of papers presented. The Zlatkis Symposia have shown an optimum balance between scientific quality and the size of the program. It is
47
hoped that the Minnesota Chromatography Discussion Group will maintain this balance. R. P. W. SCOTT Dr. R. P. W. Scott’s address is 2 Sprucewood Lane, Aron, CT 06001, U.S.A.
Fundamentals and applications of bioluminescence and chemiluminesckce
A report of the Fifth International Symposium on Bioluminescence
These occasional meetings, held at two to three year intervals, embrace both the applications and fundamentals of the subject. Previous symposia were held in Brussels, Belgium (1978), San Diego, U.S.A. (1981), Birmingham, U.K. (1984), and Freiburg, F.R.G. (1986). The next one is scheduled for June 1990 at Harvard. Around 350 delegates registered for the Symposium which commenced in Florence at the Palazzo dei Congressi on Sunday evening with the DeLuca Memorial Lecture given by Professor Hastings, who discussed the biochemistry and circadian control of the bioluminescent dinoflagellate Gonyaulux. The Marlene DeLuca price (donated by Laboratorium Prof. Dr. Berthold, Wildbad, F.R.G.) for the best abstract submitted by a young worker, was shared by Dr. Reiber of the University of Gottingen (luminescence of brain cell preparations) and Dr. Hauber from the University of Munich (protein blotting and nucleic hybridisation detected using firefly luciferase and luciferyl-O-phosphate). There were around eighty invited and contributed papers and about a hundred posters. Concurrent sessions were held and the programme included half day workshops on three commercially available luminescence immunoassays. On Tuesday the symposium programme moved to Bologna with del-
egates travelling by special train. The University of Bologna is this year celebrating its Ninth Century Anniversary as the oldest university in the world and the occasion was also marked by the conferring of an Honorary Doctorate on Professor McElroy in recognition of his outstanding achievements in forty years of work on bioluminescence, particularly on the firefly system. Two lectures were presented in which reminiscences were given of working in McElroy’s team in earlier days. Seliger recounted field work in Jamaica and Hastings the early days at John Hopkins University. As a contrast to work done three decades ago a further two lectures were presented showing very modern aspects of bioluminescence. Baldwin spoke about lux genes in Photobacterium and Wood discussed his recent work done in the McElroy and DeLuca laboratory on site directed mutagenesis of the luciferases from the click beetle (Pyrophorus) with some excellent illustrations showing the various colours of light that may be produced . The symposium opened on Monday with a sesssion on firefly bioluminescence. The first two lectures covered the fundamental biochemistry and addressed aspects of genetic engineering and luciferase enzyme light kinetics. These were followed by three others on the application of ATP assays, particularly in rapid microbiology, and the do’s and don’ts of the technique. Sensitivities for ATP in the subfemtomole range are now rather easily accessible. Photoemission from living organisms and our understanding of the chemistry
and physics of the underlying processeswas the topic the next session. Of particular interest was the paper by Khan on singlet oxygen spectroscopy in biological reactions. Luminescence immunoassay formed a major portion of the symposium with papers from Ekins, Woodhead and Yegorov amongst some twenty contributions. It was clear from these papers and the posters that exciting advances have been made since the last meeting two years ago with new labels and new end-point species being introduced. Further, new luminescent enzyme substrates for use with enzymes such as alkaline phosphatase were described and which allow sensitivities for analytes in the attomole range. A new session for these symposia covered luminescence-based biosensors with immunosensors and luminescent reagents and luciferases immobilised onto transparent materials which are then viewed directly by a photomultiplier or via an optical fibre. Such electrodes may be used upwards of fifty times for some formats. Luminescent Escherichia coli was also described as a sensor for biologically active compounds Chemiluminescence and bioluminescence-based applications were covered by a range of lectures and posters, and included clinical applications for platelets and hormones together with a substantial number of contributions concerning genetic engineering (lux genes, reporter genes etc.) and chemiluminescent-based detection for DNA hybridisation and probes. Bacterial luciferase to assay NAD(P)H and compounds conjugate with it (such as bile acids and dehydrogenases as well as immobilised luciferases and peroxidases) were also reported. There was also a review by Campbell on the use of photoproteins in measuring ionic calcium in cells and other situations. New reagents for post-column detection of compounds eluted from high-performance liquid chromatography columns by chemiluminescence were also featured. A substantial number of contributions covered luminescence from phagocytosis including clinical applications and fundamentals with dis-
48
trendsinanalyticalchemistry,vol.8, no. 2,1989
cussion of the oxygen chemistry involved in this process. The use of microtitre plate luminometers to appraise up to ninety-six samples at a time was reported by two groups of workers. The contributions in the phagocytosis and allied areas were very diverse and justice cannot be done to them in this short review. Interested readers should consult the abstracts which are now available (see below). Photon imaging was also covered and one contributor (Scott) showed a very impressive video-film in timelapse mode of light being emitted
from germinating seeds. The use of a
uted papers will be published as a
charge coupled device (CCD), usually used by astronomers, was reported for the ultrasensitive detection of afetoprotein and other clinically relevant compounds. The possibilities of imaging by such instruments opens up a new dimension in cellular investigations as well as for the detection of luminescent areas on chromatograms, electrophoretograms, microtitre plates and similar. The symposium abstracts have been published in the Journal of Bioluminescence and Chemiluminescence (Vol. 2, No. 4). The contrib-
special supplement to the Journal and the posters will appear as short papers in forthcoming regular issues of the same. Professor Pazzagli (University of Florence) and Professor Roda (University of Bologna) and their teams are to be congratulated upon an extremely well run and successful symposium. PHILIP E . STANLEY Philip E. Stanley is a Consultant Scientist, 48 Glisson Road, Cambridge, CBI 2HF, U.K.
Essential information for all active in bioengineering and biotechnology...
Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Yearbook
FORADVERTISING INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT OUR
North America and Japan Edition 1988/89 edited by Alan G. Walton, Oxford Partners, Stamford, CT, and S.K. Hammet’, President, ‘Verbatim”, Tarrytown, NY, USA
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVES USA/CANADA
MichaelBaer Here is the latest edition of a book which is “the definitive source for company information in this rapidly expanding field.” (New Technical Books). The 1988-89 edition of the Yearbook is in two separate volumes and features: 0 a new, easy-to-use format l
in-depth corporate profiles of more than 300 US companies whose primary business, research and products involve
genetic engineering l
l
l
l
550 other US companies with genetic engineering activities a completely new directory of 300 venture capital companies with interests in biotechnology over 200 Japanese company profiles over 100 Canadian company profiles
l
l
A Fields of Focus product index (in chart form) for ‘at-aglance’ identification of fields of interest of each company comprehensive cross-index of companies to enable easy tracing of the numerous, often complex, intercompany links.
Each company profile includes the company’s name, address, phone number, contact person and, in most cases, the business history, structure, ownership/management, research update, status and availability of products, and financial information. The new Yearbook is a MUST for venture capital companies, large industrial coporations and anyone with an investment interest in genetic engineering. 1988 vi + 7404 pages (2 vols.) lJS$975.00 I Dfl. 2000.00 ISBN o-444-4304 l-5
50 East 42nd NEW
YORK,
Street,
Suite
Tel: (212) 682-2200 Telex:
226000
GREAT
ur m.baer/synergistic
BRITAIN
‘LG. Scott & Son Ltd. Mr M. White 30-32
or MS A. Malcolm
Southampton
LONDON
WCZE
Street 7HR
Tel: 101) 240 2032 Telex:
299181
adsale/g
Fax: 101) 379 7155 JAPAN
ESP- TokyoBranch Mr H. Ogura 28-1 Yushima, TOKYO
3-chome,
Tel: 103) 836 0810 Telex:
02657617
REST OF WORLD
ELSEVIER SCIENCE PUBLISHERS MS W. van Cattenburch I?0
Box211
1000 AE AMSTERDAM Tel: (20) 5803.714/715/721
P.O. Box 211,1000 AE Amsterdam, The Netherlands P.O. Box 882, Madison Square Station, New York, NY 10159, USA
Bunkyo-Ku
113
The Netherlands
ELSEVIER SCIENCE PUBLISHERS
504
NY 10017
Telex:
18582
espa/nl
Fax: 120) 5803.769