title: Evolutionary origins of bacterial bioluminescence.
abstract: In bacteria, most genes required for the bioluminescence phenotype are contained in lux operons. Sequence alignments of several lux gene products show the existence of at least two groups of paralogous products. The alpha- and beta-subunits of bacterial luciferase and the non-fluorescent flavoprotein are paralogous, and two antennae proteins (lumazine protein and yellow fluorescence protein) are paralogous with riboflavin synthetase. Models describing the evolution of these paralogous proteins are suggested, as well as a postulate for the identity of the gene encoding a protobioluminescent luciferase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Georgia, Athens 30602.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: O'Kane
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Prasher
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001419:Bacteria / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D005075:Biological Evolution; D005420:Flavoproteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009876:Operon / Q000235:genetics*; D010641:Phenotype
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D005420:Flavoproteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D008156:Luciferases