Luciferase (Luc) is an oxidative enzyme used in bioluminescence. It catalyzes the oxidation of the pigment luciferin producing oxyluciferin and light. The images at the left and at the right correspond to one representative Luc, i.e. the crystal structure of firefly Luciferase (3iep). See detailed analysis of Luciola cruciata luciferase and Luciferase FMN complex- Vibrio harveyi.
Several organisms are bioluminescent, meaning that they produce light. Luciferase is one of the enzymes that catalyzes light emitting reactions in organisms.
↑Auld DS, Lovell S, Thorne N, Lea WA, Maloney DJ, Shen M, Rai G, Battaile KP, Thomas CJ, Simeonov A, Hanzlik RP, Inglese J. Molecular basis for the high-affinity binding and stabilization of firefly luciferase by PTC124. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2010 Mar 16;107(11):4878-83. Epub 2010 Mar 1. PMID:20194791
↑Campbell ZT, Weichsel A, Montfort WR, Baldwin TO. Crystal Structure of the Bacterial Luciferase:Flavin Complex Provides Insight into the Function of the subunit. Biochemistry. 2009 May 12. PMID:19435287 doi:https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/bi900003t
References
Additional Literature
Marques SM, Esteves da Silva JC. Firefly bioluminescence: a mechanistic approach of luciferase catalyzed reactions. IUBMB Life. 2009 Jan;61(1):6-17. PMID:18949818 doi:10.1002/iub.134
Inouye S. Firefly luciferase: an adenylate-forming enzyme for multicatalytic functions. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2010 Feb;67(3):387-404. Epub 2009 Oct 27. PMID:19859663 doi:10.1007/s00018-009-0170-8