4-Methylumbelliferyl-β-D-galactoside (MUG) is a fluorogenic substrate for β-galactosidase (β-gal).1Hydrolysis of MUG by β-gal releases the fluorescent moiety 4-MU, which displays a pH-dependent excitation maximum of 330, 370, and 385 nm at pH 4.6, 7.4, and 10.4, respectively, and an emission maximum between 445-454 nm.2MUG has been used to detect β-gal activity in intact bacteria, yeast, and mammalian cells.1