Bacterial bioluminescence: spectral study of the emitters in the in vitro reaction

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.78.2.948· OSTI ID:6567045

Matheson, I B.C. ^[1]; Lee, J; Mueller, F

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1. Univ. of Georgia, Athens

Transient fluorescent species are observed in the bioluminescent reactions of three reduced flavin mononucleotides with aliphatic aldehydes and oxygen, catalyzed by bacterial luciferase. In each case the fluorescence spectral distribution is similar to that of the bioluminescence but is readily distinguishable from it on the basis of a significantly greater signal strength. The corrected bioluminescence maxima using Beneckea harveyi luciferase are 479 nm (iso-FMNH/sub 2/), 490 nm (FMNH/sub 2/), and 560 nm (2-thio-FMNH/sub 2/). In an ethanol glass at 77/sup 0/K, 2-thioriboflavin is fluorescent (psi/sub F/ = 0.03, lambda/sub max/ = 562 nm). These results are interpreted by a sensitized chemiluminescence mechanism in which the flavins bound to luciferase act as acceptors of excitation energy. For 2-thio-FMNH/sub 2/, this acceptor species appears to be the oxidized 2-thio-FMN on the basis of the spectral evidence, whereas for the other flavins, some form of reduced species is a more likely candidate.

• OSTI ID: 6567045
• Journal Information: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States), Journal Name: Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.; (United States) Vol. 78:2; ISSN PNASA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550200 -- Biochemistry
550700* -- Microbiology
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ABSORPTION SPECTRA
ALDEHYDES
BACTERIA
BIOLUMINESCENCE
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES
DATA
ENERGY-LEVEL TRANSITIONS
ENZYMES
EXCITATION
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
FLUORESCENCE
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
IN VITRO
INFORMATION
ISOALLOXAZINES
LUCIFERASE
LUMINESCENCE
MICROORGANISMS
NUCLEOTIDES
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDOREDUCTASES
SPECTRA