Luciferase Reporter Systems in Investigating Interferon Antiviral Innate Immunity.

ABSTRACT

Luciferase reporter systems are commonly used in scientific research to investigate a variety of biological processes, including antiviral innate immunity. These systems employ the use of luciferase enzymes derived from organisms such as fireflies or renilla reniformis, which emit light upon reaction with a substrate. In the context of antiviral innate immunity, the luciferase reporter systems offer a noninvasive and highly sensitive approach for real-time monitoring of immune responses in vitro and in vivo, enabling researchers to delve into the intricate interactions and signaling pathways involved in host-virus dynamic interactions. Here, we describe the methods of the promoter-luciferase reporter and enhancer-luciferase reporter, which provide insights into the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of antiviral innate immunity. Additionally, we outline the split-luciferase complementary reporter method, which was designed to explore protein-protein interactions associated with antiviral immunity. These methodologies offer invaluable knowledge regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying antiviral immune pathways and have the potential to support the development of effective antiviral therapies.