title: Oxyluciferin photoacidity: the missing element for solving the keto-enol mystery?
abstract: The oxyluciferin family of fluorophores has been receiving much attention from the research community and several systematic studies have been performed in order to gain more insight regarding their photophysical properties and photoprotolytic cycles. In this minireview, we summarize the knowledge obtained so far and define several possible lines for future research. More importantly, we analyze the impact of the discoveries on the firefly bioluminescence phenomenon made so far and explain how they re-open again the discussion regarding the identity (keto or enol species) of the bioluminophore.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigação em Química, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade do Porto, R. Campo Alegre 687, 4169-007 Porto (Portugal), Fax: (+351) 220 402 659.
authors.forename: Luís Pinto
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simkovitch
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huppert
authors.forename: Joaquim C G Esteves
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: da Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000737:chemistry; D048888:Fireflies / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D049454:Firefly Luciferin / Q000737:chemistry; D007211:Indoles / Q000737:chemistry*; D008027:Light; D011522:Protons; D011719:Pyrazines / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; C532924:D-luciferin; D007211:Indoles; D011522:Protons; D011719:Pyrazines; C107793:dehydroluciferin; C014730:oxyluciferin; D049454:Firefly Luciferin
keywords: bioluminescence; oxyluciferin; photoacids; proton transfer; tautomerism