Publication date: May 30, 2025

Bioluminescence holds notable promise as a modality in diagnostics due to its high signal-to-noise ratio and absence of incident radiation. However, challenges arise from rapid signal decay and reduced enzyme activity when linked to targeting molecules, limiting its reliability in point-of-care diagnostic applications. Here we introduce the luminescence cascade-based sensor (LUCAS) assay, an enzyme cascade system capable of detecting analytes with ultrahigh sensitivity and prolonged bioluminescence. Utilizing a sequential enzymatic reaction, our assay achieves a greater than 500-fold increase in bioluminescence signal and maintains an 8-fold improvement in signal persistence compared to conventional bioluminescence assays. Implemented on a portable, fully automated device designed for point-of-care settings, our system facilitates rapid (

Semantics

Original Article