Sensitive and specific fluorometric assay for assessment of glyoxalase II enzymatic activity in microbial samples and...

This study presents a novel fluorescence-based assay for quantifying Glyoxalase II (Glo II) enzymatic activity, using N-(9-Acridinyl)maleimide (NAM) as a fluorescent probe. The assay is designed to measure glutathione (GSH) production resulting from the hydrolysis of S-D-lactoylglutathione by Glo II, providing a sensitive and reliable method for assessing enzyme activity across various biological samples. The protocol involves incubating Glo II samples at 37 °C, then adding NAM, which reacts with thiol groups to form a fluorescent adduct. The fluorescence intensity is measured at excitation and emission wavelengths of 360 nm and 432 nm, respectively, allowing for precise quantification of Glo II activity. The NAM-Glo II method demonstrates exceptional sensitivity and specificity, with limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of 0.01 U/L and 0.033 U/L, respectively. This high sensitivity is crucial for accurately measuring Glo II activity in diverse bacterial strains, where enzyme levels may vary. Comparative studies with established methods reveal that the NAM-Glo II assay consistently yields results comparable to, and in some cases superior to, those obtained using UV-based techniques. Notably, the method effectively minimizes interference from common biomolecules, such as amino acids and carbohydrates, which can confound traditional assays. The NAM-Glo II method is a reliable, sensitive tool for quantifying Glo II activity, crucial for neurological and microbial studies. It enables accurate enzyme measurement, reveals higher activity in E. coli, aids bacterial metabolism research, and supports insights into detoxification, resistance, and targeted antimicrobial therapies.