Source of oxygen in the CO2 produced in the bioluminescent oxidation of firefly luciferin

Incorporation of 18 O into the CO 2 produced in the bioluminescent oxidation of firefly luciferin was studied. In H 2 16 O medium with 18 O 2 gas, the product CO 2 contained up to 75% C 16 O 18 O, showing that one O of the product CO 2 arose from the O 2 that oxidized luciferin. This result is consi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 1977-07, Vol.74 (7), p.2799-2802
Main Authors: Shimomura, Osamu, Goto, Toshio, Johnson, Frank H.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological Sciences: Biochemistry
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Summary:Incorporation of 18 O into the CO 2 produced in the bioluminescent oxidation of firefly luciferin was studied. In H 2 16 O medium with 18 O 2 gas, the product CO 2 contained up to 75% C 16 O 18 O, showing that one O of the product CO 2 arose from the O 2 that oxidized luciferin. This result is consistent with a dioxetane mechanism. Analysis of the mass spectral data of the CO 2 obtained in high-enrichment H 2 18 O medium with 16 O 2 gas indicated the presence of about 20% contaminating CO 2 , which contributes approximately 70% of the total incorporated 18 O. Thus the values of incorporated 18 O in H 2 18 O medium with 16 O 2 gas have no significance in the present context. Data obtained with luciferases of the American firefly Photinus and Japanese firefly Luciola were similar. luminescence luciferase oxygen exchange reaction mechanism
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.74.7.2799