Lonza's MycoAlert® Mycoplasma Detection Assays are selective biochemical tests to detect Mycoplasma contamination in cell cultures. They exploit the activity of mycoplasmal enzymes which are found in the vast majority of about 200 mycoplasma species but are not present in eukaryotic cells.
Detection of Mycoplasma in cell cultures is performed as follows: Viable mycoplasma in a test sample (cell culture supernatant) are lysed and the released mycoplasmal enzymes react with the MycoAlert® Substrate, catalyzing the conversion of ADP to ATP. The ATP is then transferred into a light signal via the luciferase enzyme in the MycoAlert® Reagent. By measuring the level of ATP in a sample both before (read A) and after the addition of the MycoAlert® Substrate (read B), a ratio can be determined that indicates the presence or absence of mycoplasma.