The enzymatic nature of fungal bioluminescence
Date
2009-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Royal Society of Chemistry
YU Faculty Profile
Abstract
The uncertainty about the possible involvement of a luciferase in fungal bioluminescence has not only hindered the understanding of its biochemistry but also delayed the characterization of its constituents. The present report describes how in vitro light emission can be obtained enzymatically from the cold and hot extracts assay using different species of fungi, which also indicates a common mechanism for all these organisms. Kinetic data suggest a consecutive two-step enzymatic mechanism and corroborate the enzymatic proposal of Airth and Foerster. Finally, overlapping of light emission spectra from the fungal bioluminescence and the in vitro assay confirm that this reaction is the same one that occurs in live fungi.
Description
Scholarly article / Open access
Keywords
Fungi/enzymology, Cell-Free System/metabolism, Cold Temperature, Fungi/metabolism, Hot Temperature, Kinetics, Luminescence, Luminescent Measurements
Citation
Oliveira, A. G., & Stavani, C. V. (2009). The enzymatic nature of fungal bioluminescence. Photochem. Photobiol. Sci. 8 (10), 1416-1421