Bioluminescence: Biochemical and Physiological Advances

Abstract

P h o f o c h n i s t r !~ trrttl PltorohiologyBioluminescent organisms are to be found among the bacteria, fungi, unicellular algae, and most of the major animal phyla, some of which contain hundreds of luminescent species. Early biochemical studies reflected this taxonomic diversity and often a primary focus of attention was the uniqueness of each newly isolated system. Relatively few in v i m cross-reactions were discovered among unrelated species and five of the first six luciferins to be characterized proved to be structurally unrelated compounds. The functions of bioluminescence in many organisms were unknown and, while several theories arose, these theories seldom addressed the part that light production might play in the ecology of an organism or a population.Major advances on each of these fronts have been made during the past decade. Biochemical research has centered on the chemical mechanism(s) of luminescence and a single type of chemical species, a diox-

A New Rapid and Sensitive Bioluminescence Assay for Monoamine Oxidase Activity

“…1 for schema). The bacterial luminescence system consists of enzymes that catalyze the following reactions: The total light produced in the in vitro reaction is proportional to the amount of each of the substrates (O,, FMNH,, and RCHO) when they are present in limiting concentrations (for review, see Hastings and Tu, 1981;Ward, 1981).…”