ASSAY OF INTRACELLULAR ATP

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To quickly assay in high sensitivity intracellular ATP for bacteria tests, etc., by subjecting a cell-contg. specimen to extraction with an ATP extractive reagent followed by adding a biochemiluminescent reagent to the resultant liquid extract to conduct a biochemiluminescence in the presence of an enzymatic reaction inhibition-suppressive reagent. SOLUTION: An ATP extractive reagent containing a surfactant (e.g. polyoxyethylene-10-octylphenyl ether) is added to a specimen containing cells (e.g. bacteria) to extract the ATP in the cells, and a luminescent reagent containing luctiferin and luciferase is then added to the resultant liquid extract to conduct a biochemiluminescence by enzymatic reaction, and based on the resultant luminescence, the ATP in the cells is assayed. In this intracellular ATP assay, the biochemiluminescence is conducted in the presence of an enzymatic reaction inhibition-suppressive reagent containing a silicone (e.g. dimethylpolysiloxane) to suppress the inhibition of the enzymatic reaction for the biochemiluminescence by the extractive reagent, thus quickly assaying in high sensitivity the target intracellular ATP for bacteria tests etc.