Mass spectrometry analysis and transcriptome sequencing reveal glowing squid crystal proteins are in the same superfamily as firefly luciferase

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 6; no. 1; p. 27638
• Main Authors: Gimenez, Gregory, Metcalf, Peter, Paterson, Neil G., Sharpe, Miriam L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 09.06.2016; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/337/2019; 631/45/612; Adenosine Triphosphate - metabolism; Animals; ATP; Bioluminescence; Crystals; Decapodiformes - enzymology; Decapodiformes - genetics; Enzymes; Fireflies - enzymology; Fireflies - genetics; Genomes; Humanities and Social Sciences; Light; Luciferases - chemistry; Luciferases - genetics; Luciferases - metabolism; Luciferin; Mass spectrometry; multidisciplinary; Photophores; Polyethylene glycol; Proteins; Science; Scientific imaging; Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; Sucrose; Transcriptome; New Zealand

The Japanese firefly squid Hotaru-ika ( Watasenia scintillans ) produces intense blue light from photophores at the tips of two arms. These photophores are densely packed with protein microcrystals that catalyse the bioluminescent reaction using ATP and the substrate coelenterazine disulfate. The sq...