Expanding the utility of beta-galactosidase complementation: piece by piece.

The ability to image and quantify multiple biomarkers in disease necessitates the development of split reporter fragment platforms. We have divided the beta-galactosidase enzyme into unique, independent polypeptides that are able to reassemble and complement enzymatic activity in bacteria and in mammalian cells. We created two sets of complementing pairs that individually have no enzymatic activity.