The Role of 1N-Ethenoadenosine Triphosphate and 1N-Ethenoadenosine Monophosphate in Firefly Luminescence.
1,N(6)-Ethenoadenosine triphosphate (epsilon-ATP) has been found to be inactive as a substrate for firefly luciferase. However, chemically synthesized luciferyl-epsilonAMP is oxidized by luciferase and light is emitted. The color of the light is red in contrast to the normal yellow-green observed with luciferyladenylate. Although epsilonATP will not serve as a substrate in the activation reaction, the reversal of the activation, pyrophosphorolysis of dehydroluciferyladenylate, will occur with the ethenoadenosine analog.
Deluca
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M
Department of Chemistry, San Diego, La Jolla, Calif. 92037.
Leonard
N J
NJ
Gates
B J
BJ
McElroy
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