An ultrasensitive chemiluminescence turn-on assay for protease and inhibitor screening with a natural substrate

A highly sensitive and convenient chemiluminescence (CL) turn-on assay for protease without any label and synthesis has been developed. Cytochrome c was digested by a protease, and heme was released as a peptide-heme conjugate, which greatly enhanced the luminol-H2O2 CL reaction.