AMINO ACID ASSAY METHOD AND AMINO ACID ASSAY KIT

摘要

[Problem] To provide a method for the specific, convenient, and highly sensitive assay of the protein amino acids (the twenty L-amino acids constituting proteins) and non-protein amino acids, e.g., D-amino acids, modified amino acids, and ornithine, in a measurement target. Also, to provide an amino acid assay kit. [Solution] A method for assaying the amount of amino acid in a sample using a nonribosomal peptide synthetase (NRPS), the amino acid assay method being characterized by releasing the NRPS and amino acid from an aminoacyl AMP-NRPS complex that has first been caused to form and, by using this NRPS and amino acid to reform the aminoacyl AMP-NRPS complex, finally producing a reaction product, e.g., pyrophosphate, which is the measurement target, to a number of moles greater than the NRPS and/or amino acid contained in the sample. Also, an amino acid assay kit for carrying out the method.