Z-DEVD-aminoluciferin

Z-DEVD-aminoluciferin is a luminogenic substrate that measures caspase-3 and -7 activities in apoptotic cells. Caspases, a family of aspartate-specific cysteine proteases, are key regulators of apoptosis, orchestrating the initiation and execution of cellular disassembly through the cleavage of specific cellular proteins. Notably, caspases-3 and -7, target the DEVD motif in poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), disrupting the repair capabilities of PARP and facilitating DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis. When caspase-3/7 enzymes cleave the Z-DEVD-aminoluciferin substrate, it releases aminoluciferin, which can react with luciferase to produce bioluminescence. The intensity of the bioluminescent signal is directly proportional to the amount of caspase-3/7 activity in the sample, making it a valuable tool for researchers to study and quantify apoptotic processes, screen potential drug candidates, and investigate various cellular pathways related to cell death and survival. Z-DEVD-aminoluciferin is a modified version of the Ac-DEVD-aminoluciferin substrate in that it employs Z (carbobenzoxy or benzyloxycarbonyl) as the protective group in place of acetyl.