Glowing jellyfish, luminescence and a molecule called coelenterazine.
Luminescence has assumed an important role in analytical biochemistry and molecular biology as an extremely sensitive method for determining the concentration of specific ions and molecules. The luminescent system of the jellyfish Aequorea victoria consists of the photoprotein aequorin, which contains the molecule coelenterazine as a prosthetic group and shows considerable potential in this area.
Jones
K
K
School of Applied Chemistry, Kingston University, Penrhyn Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, UK KT1 2EE. keith.jones@kingston.ac.uk
Hibbert
F
F
Keenan
M
M
D000331:Aequorin / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D049454:Firefly Luciferin / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; D007093:Imidazoles; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D037401:Scyphozoa / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
D007093:Imidazoles; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011719:Pyrazines; D049452:Green Fluorescent Proteins; C017144:coelenterazine; D000331:Aequorin; D049454:Firefly Luciferin