Introduction of a plant intron into the luciferase gene ofPhotinus pyralis

We describe a new luciferase reporter gene,lucINT, for early detection of luciferase activity inAgrobacterium transformation studies, and present improved techniques for the extraction of luciferase that decrease the time needed to quantitate luciferase activity. ThelucINT reporter gene combines the PIV2 intron fromGUSINT withluc*, the modified luciferase gene.lucINTis expressed in plant cells but not inAgrobacterium, allowing earlier detection of gene expression in the presence ofAgrobacterium during transformations in tobacco leaf discs. Stable expression levels oflucINT andluc* in tobacco suspension cultures are compared for two different promoters.