Firefly luciferin molecule. Yellow is sulfur , blue is nitrogen , black is carbon , red is oxygen , white is hydrogen .
Luciferins (from lat. Lucifer - letters. "Carrying light, luminiferous") - a class of light-emitting substances found in organisms capable of bioluminescence .
Types of Luciferins
Luciferins are small molecules that serve as a substrate for the corresponding enzymes - luciferases . Luciferins oxidize in the presence of luciferase to form oxyluciferin and emit energy in the form of light. There are several main types of luciferins:
Firefly Luciferin Structure
- Firefly Luciferin. Derivative of benzothiazole.
Clam luciferin
- Shellfish luciferin Latia neritoides. Unsaturated alcohol ester.
Bacteria luciferin
- Bacterial luciferin contains reduced riboflavin phosphate.
Luciferin dinoflagellate
- Luciferin dinoflagellate ( protozoa ) is a derivative of chlorophyll . It is he who leads to the phenomenon of luminescence (phosphorescence) of the ocean. Similar luciferin is found in small marine crustaceans .
- Vargulin - imidazolopyrazine, found in shell and some deep-sea fish.
- Celenterazine was found in radiolarians , ctenophore , cnidaria , squid, copepods , jaw bristles , fish and shrimp. It is a light-emitting component of equorin and obelin proteins. Derivative of imidozopyrazine.
- Luciferin mushrooms. Derived pyrone.
Links
- University of California at Santa Barbara article main types of luciferins.