Cypridina bioluminescence V. structure of emitting species in the luminescence of cypridina luciferin and its related compounds

Perspectives on Bioluminescence Mechanisms

The molecular mechanisms of the bioluminescence systems of the firefly, bacteria and those utilizing imidazopyrazinone luciferins such as coelenterazine are gradually being uncovered using modern biophysical methods such as dynamic (ns-ps) fluorescence spectroscopy, NMR, X-ray crystallography and computational chemistry. The chemical structures of all reactants are well defined, and the spatial structures of the luciferases are providing important insight into interactions within the active cavity. It is generally accepted that the firefly and coelenterazine systems, although proceeding by different chemistries, both generate a dioxetanone high-energy species that undergoes decarboxylation to form directly the product in its S₁ state, the bioluminescence emitter. More work is still needed to establish the structure of the products completely. In spite of the bacterial system receiving the most research attention, the chemical pathway for excitation remains mysterious except that it is clearly not by a decarboxylation. Both the coelenterazine and bacterial systems have in common of being able to employ "antenna proteins," lumazine protein and the green-fluorescent protein, for tuning the color of the bioluminescence. Spatial structure information has been most valuable in informing the mechanism of the Ca²⁺ -regulated photoproteins and the antenna protein interactions.

Luminescence of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-one compounds

In this review I will discuss chemical principles of the luminescence of imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-one compounds described to date. The review is composed of two main parts, the first dealing with the bioluminescence of coelenterate luciferin "coelenterazine" and Cypridina luciferin in marine organisms and the second with the chemiluminescence of these luciferins and their analogues. In the second section, possible applications of chemiluminescence and enhanced chemiluminescence in the area of bioassay are also discussed.

Methods for detection of reactive metabolites of oxygen and nitrogen: in vitro and in vivo considerations

Facile detection of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species in biologic systems is often problematic. This is a result of the numerous cellular mechanisms, both enzymatic and nonenzymatic involved in their catabolism/decomposition, the complex and overlapping nature of their reactivities, as well as the often limited intracellular access of detector systems. This review describes approaches to the direct and indirect measurement of different reactive metabolites of oxygen and nitrogen. Particular attention to a method's applicability for in vivo determinations will be addressed.

Two excited states in aequorin bioluminescence induced by tryptophan modification

The Ca(2+)-activated photoprotein, aequorin, contains six tryptophan residues and has a bioluminescence emission maximum at 465 nm. On converting the six tryptophan residues to phenylalanine, the mutant aequorins exhibited varied luminescence activities and spectra, but one mutant, with tryptophan-86 replaced by phenylalanine, gave a bimodal emission spectrum, with maxima at 455 nm and 400 nm. This result suggests that tryptophan-86 may be importantly involved in the generation of the product excited state during aequorin bioluminescence.

Spectral characteristics of the bioluminescence induced in the marine fish, Porichthys notatus by Cypridina (ostracod) luciferin

Specimens of Porichthys notatus, which are naturally luminous along the coast of California, are non-luminous in Puget Sound. However, luminescence capability may be induced in the adult Puget Sound Porichthys by the administration of purified Cypridina (ostracod) luciferin, synthetic Cypridina luciferin, or Cypridina organisms. The bioluminescence emission spectra produced by the Puget Sound fish following induction is similar, if not identical, to that of the naturally luminous Porichthys notatus from California waters (maxima: 485 and 507 nm).