Direct visualization of glucose phosphorylation with a cationic polythiophene

ATP-dependent phosphorylation of glucose catalyzed by hexokinase can be detected in real time by a homogeneous visual inspection based on a water-soluble cationic polythiophene derivative (CPT) that responds to the presence of ATP. The color of CPT solutions changes from pink-red in the presence of ATP to yellow when ATP is converted to ADP following the glucose phosphorylation by hexokinase.