The secret of fireworm is out: molecular basis of Odontosyllis bioluminescence
Bioluminescence – a widespread in the natural world process of “cold light” emission by living organisms, is based on an enzyme-dependent biochemical oxidation reaction in which energy is released in the form of light. Out of 40 presumed bioluminescent systems only for nine the structures of substrates - luciferins were elucidated, while a complete description of the luciferin biosynthesis pathway along with the corresponding enzymes was done only for two. A collaborative effort by an international team of scientists led to the discovery of new luciferin from marine polychaetes Odontosyllis undecimdonta. The characterization of three key low-molecular-weight components of Odontosyllis bioluminescence system, presented in an article published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, further enabled the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of bioluminescence of this organism. Learn more
august 29, 2019