Dinoflagellate luciferase: Difference between revisions
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== Introduction == | == Introduction == | ||
''Lingulodinium polyedrum'', a marine dinoflagellate often responsible for red tide, possesses a unique [[luciferase]] enyzme. When mechanically stimulated, the organism uses this enzyme to produce a blue light, likely for use in quorum sensing. Other luciferase enzymes typically produce green-yellow to red light. Also, while all luciferase enzymes produce light through oxidation of luciferin, the biochemical mechanism by which this is achieved varies. This means that while the result is the same, there is low similarity to bacterial or firefly luciferases. | ''Lingulodinium polyedrum'', a marine dinoflagellate often responsible for red tide, possesses a unique [[luciferase]] enyzme. When mechanically stimulated, the organism uses this enzyme to produce a blue light, likely for use in quorum sensing. Other luciferase enzymes typically produce green-yellow to red light. Also, while all luciferase enzymes produce light through oxidation of luciferin, the biochemical mechanism by which this is achieved varies. This means that while the result is the same, there is low similarity to bacterial or firefly luciferases. | ||
In ''L. polyedrum'', the luciferase enzyme is a single polypeptide chain folded into 3 similar domains. Interestingly, all three domains appear to be distinct luciferase centres with their own catalytic activities <ref name="main">PMID:15665092</ref> | In ''L. polyedrum'', the luciferase enzyme is a single polypeptide chain folded into 3 similar domains. Interestingly, all three domains appear to be distinct luciferase centres with their own catalytic activities <ref name="main">PMID:15665092</ref> | ||
