Pre-incubation assay methods

Abstract

Pseudo-positive data can be reduced by incubating a solution containing an enzyme in the absence of a test substance and a substrate of the enzyme.

1 . A method for an assay of an activator or an inhibitor to an enzyme which comprises incubating a solution comprising the enzyme in the absence of both a test substance and a substrate of the enzyme for 15 minutes or more at 20-40° C.  
   
   
       2 . The method for an assay of an activator or an inhibitor to an enzyme according to  claim 1  which comprises: 
 (a) incubating the solution comprising the enzyme in the absence of both the test substance and the substrate of the enzyme, and    (b) comparing an enzyme activity measured by mixing the test substance and the substrate of the enzyme with the incubated solution and reacting the enzyme with the substrate of the enzyme, with an enzyme activity measured by mixing only the substrate of the enzyme with the incubated solution and reacting the enzyme with the substrate of the enzyme.    
   
   
       3 - 4 . (canceled)  
   
   
       5 . The method for an assay according to  claim 1  wherein the enzyme is viral.  
   
   
       6 . The method for an assay according to  claim 1  wherein the enzyme is a polymerase.  
   
   
       7 . The method for an assay according to  claim 1  wherein the solution contains a polymerase, a template, a primer and a metal ion.  
   
   
       8 - 23 . (canceled)