Determination of NAD(P)H by A Bioluminescent Enzyme Fiber Optic Probe

Abstract

A fiber optic probe was interfaced to a photon counting system for the determination of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced [NAD(P)H] by a bioluminescence method. The reagents employed in a bacterial luciferase/flavin mononucleotide /decanal system were optimized. Attempts were made to increase the quantum yield of the system. Dodecanal, tridecanal, and tetradecanal were evaluated as alternative aldehyde reagents for decanal, and hydrogen peroxide was added to the system. Neither attempt increased the quantum yield of the system. However, a relatively low detection limit of 1.6 × 10^?9 M for NAD(P)H was obtained with a linear dynamic range of 3.8 orders of magnitude. These results demonstrate the sensitivity of this instrumentation and assay.