title: Molecular basis for the blue bioluminescence of the Australian glow-worm Arachnocampa richardsae (Diptera: Keroplatidae).
abstract: Bioluminescence is the emission of visible light by living organisms. Here we describe the isolation and characterisation of a cDNA encoding a MW ≈ 59,000 Da luciferase from the Australian glow-worm, Arachnocampa richardsae. The enzyme is a member of the acyl-CoA ligase superfamily and produces blue light on addition of D-luciferin. These results are contrary to earlier reports (Lee, J., Photochem Photobiol 24, 279-285 (1976), Viviani, V. R., Hastings, J. W. & Wilson, T., Photochem Photobiol 75, 22-27 (2002)), which suggested glow-worm luciferase has MW ≈ 36,000 Da and is unreactive with beetle luciferin. There are more than 2000 species of firefly, which all produce emissions from D-luciferin in the green to red regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Although blue-emitting luciferases are known from marine organisms, they belong to different structural families and use a different substrate. The observation of blue emission from a D-luciferin-using enzyme is therefore unprecedented.
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia. Electronic address: Stephen.Trowell@csiro.au.
authors.forename: Stephen C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Trowell
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, 671 Sneydes Road, Werribee, VIC3030, Australia.
authors.forename: Helen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Dacres
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Mira M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Dumancic
authors.affiliation: CSIRO, Black Mountain Laboratories, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Virginia
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Leitch
authors.affiliation: Research School of Chemistry, ANU, Canberra, ACT2601, Australia.
authors.forename: Rodney W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Rickards
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000378:metabolism*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D004175:Diptera / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008156:Luciferases / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D049449:Luminescence; D008163:Luminescent Measurements; D013379:Substrate Specificity
chemical_list: D052160:Benzothiazoles; C532924:D-luciferin; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008156:Luciferases
keywords: Arachnocampa; Bioluminescence; Firefly; Glow-worm; Luciferase; Luciferin