Montana Molecular

Fluorescent Biosensors for Live Cell Discovery

Montana Molecular develops innovative fluorescent biosensors and light-gated enzymes to capture real time signaling in live cells. These live cell assays measure signaling kinetics in practically any cell type to reliably characterize therapeutic effects. Intracellular parameters like cAMP, DAG, PIP2, Ca2+, and voltage can be conveniently assessed. Montana Molecular’s proprietary technology is based on BacMam vectors used as an efficient vehicle to optimally deliver and express genes in mammalian cells for robust assays in living cells. This technique is also used for their new fluorescent assays to monitor SARS-CoV-2 viral entry.

"The best thing about Montana Molecular’s biosensors has been the ease of use"
(Vladlen Z. Slepak, PhD, University of Miami, School of Medicine)

Unique Fluorescent Biosensors Powering Basic Research on Cell Signaling in Health and Disease

Highlight: Live-Cell Assays for COVID-19 Drug Screening

Benefits:

Simple protocols, fast results, assays do not require specialized equipment or complex steps
Measure multiple second-messenger components of cell signaling pathways in real time
Can be targeted to specific cells in mixed cultures or subcellular organelles
Characterize signaling pathways activated by drugs, e.g., in pancreatic islets, neurons, cardiomyocytes, osteoblasts as well as in standard cell lines
Multiplex GPCR Assays: Gs signaling, Gq signaling, Gi signaling, Voltage
Plate reader or microscope compatible – kinetics or dose response
Benefits using the BacMam vector: controlled expression levels and low cell-to-cell variability, efficient expression in most mammalian cells including primary cells and iPSC cultures
No cell lysis, single channel analysis, no FRET measurement (FRET based biosensors suffer from low signal-to-noise and usually are not compatible with automated plate reader detection)