title: Luciferase activity of the intracellular microcrystal of the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans.
abstract: The arm light organ of the firefly squid, Watasenia scintillans, emits extremely bright flashes of light, which are caused by a luciferin-luciferase reaction involving ATP, Mg(2+) and molecular oxygen. The molecular mechanism underlying the bioluminescence reaction has remained unresolved, because the luciferase could not be identified or isolated. The arm light organ contains numerous rod-like bodies that are 2-6 μm long and 1-2 μm thick. This paper addresses the characterization of the extracted rod-like body. We found that the rod-like bodies emit the light in vitro by the luciferin-luciferase reaction. Furthermore, by using the X-ray powder diffraction method, we confirmed that the rod-like bodies are well-ordered microcrystals.
authors.affiliation: Department of Systems and Human Science, Graduate School of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka, Osaka, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiaki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hamanaka
authors.forename: Masanao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Michinomae
authors.forename: Masatsugu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seidou
authors.forename: Keiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.forename: Katsuaki
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inoue
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kito
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D049832:Decapodiformes / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D049454:Firefly Luciferin / Q000378:metabolism; D008156:Luciferases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000378:metabolism; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
chemical_list: D049454:Firefly Luciferin; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D008156:Luciferases; D008274:Magnesium; D010100:Oxygen