title: A transcriptional and proteomic survey of Arachnocampa luminosa (Diptera: Keroplatidae) lanterns gives insights into the origin of bioluminescence from the Malpighian tubules in Diptera.
abstract: Fungus-gnats of the genus Arachnocampa are unique among bioluminescent insects for displaying blue-green bioluminescence, and are responsible for one of the most beautiful bioluminescence spectacles on the roofs of the Waitomo Caves. Despite morphological studies showing that Arachnocampa larval lanterns involve specialization of the Malpighian tubules, the biochemical origin of their bioluminescence remains enigmatic. Using a cDNA library previously constructed from lanterns of the New Zealand glowworm A. luminosa, we carried out the first transcriptional analysis of ~ 500 expressed sequence tags (ESTs) to identify putative candidate proteins for light production, and to better understand the molecular physiology of the lanterns and their relationship with Malpighian tubule physiology. The analysis showed an abundance of hexamerin-like proteins, as well as luciferase-like enzymes, indicating a possible critical role for these proteins in bioluminescence. These findings were corroborated by proteomic analysis of lantern extracts, which showed the presence of hexamerins and luciferase-like enzymes. Other gene products typical of Malpighian tubules, such as detoxifying enzymes, were also found. The results support the existence of an evolutionary link between Malpighian tubule detoxification and the origin of bioluminescence in these Diptera.
authors: Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), Sorocaba, Brazil.|Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), São Carlos, Brazil.
authors: J R
authors: JR
authors: Silva
authors: Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), Sorocaba, Brazil.|Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), São Carlos, Brazil.
authors: D T
authors: DT
authors: Amaral
authors: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: Hastings
authors: Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Wilson
authors: Graduate Program of Biotechnology and Environmental Monitoring, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), Sorocaba, Brazil.|Graduate Program of Evolutive Genetics and Molecular Biology, Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCAR), São Carlos, Brazil.
authors: V R
authors: VR
authors: Viviani
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004175:Diptera / Q000737:chemistry*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D049449:Luminescence; D008317:Malpighian Tubules / Q000737:chemistry*; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis*; D040901:Proteomics; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D020543:Proteome; C041137:storage proteins, Insecta; D008156:Luciferases
keywords: hexamerins; luciferase-like enzymes; transcriptome