Graduation Year
2026
Date of Submission
5-2026
Document Type
Campus Only Senior Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
Department
Biology
Reader 1
Colin Rathbun
Reader 2
Aaron Leconte
Terms of Use & License Information
Abstract
Bioluminescent enzymes, known as luciferases, are capable of emitting light by catalyzing a chemical reaction with their luciferin substrate. By harnessing these enzymes, researchers have been able to utilize them to illuminate biological features at the cellular level, such as visualizing virions during an infection or tracking metabolites of clinical importance. Recent advancements in protein engineering of the luciferase NanoBiT have enabled the rapid development of bioluminescent probes that are brighter and offer greater versatility in their imaging capabilities. A lack of distinguishable probes that can work in tandem with each other, however, still limits the type of features that can be investigated. This paper describes a method for screening a library of NanoBiT enzymes, with the aim of identifying orthogonal bioluminescent probes for multicomponent imaging. These probes will be useful for imaging distinct cellular populations, such as immune and infected cells, during pathogenesis.
Recommended Citation
Penaloza, Daniel, "Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Luciferase Enzymes For Engineering of Bioluminescent Probes" (2026). CMC Senior Theses. 4129.
https://scholarship.claremont.edu/cmc_theses/4129
This thesis is restricted to the Claremont Colleges current faculty, students, and staff.
