beta-Galactosidase was incubated for 60 min with the fluorogenic substrate resorufin-beta-D-galactopyranoside, which is converted by the action of the enzyme into resorufin and galactose. A 160 pL aliquot of reaction mixture was analyzed by capillary electrophoresis utilizing laser-induced fluorescence detection. Based on the detection of the resorufin formed, the limit of detection of beta-galactosidase was 1.5 x 10(-15) M or 900 molecules of enzyme in a 1 microL sample.Copyright 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.