Holly Sewell23 July 2010

Marine Bioluminescen

ce

Marine Bioluminescence

www.ou.edu

www.ou.edu

Experiment

Organisms and EnvironmentsWhere is it found?

FunctionProposed explanations

GenesReaction

Experiment: Can we isolate bioluminescent colonies?

SWC SWC

Bacterial BioluminescenceWhere is it found?

Photobacterium

www.bioart.co.uk

Vibrio

www.alchemipedia.com

Photorhabdus

www.asm.com

Some colonize light organs, producing light for animalfor signalingavoiding predatorsattracting prey

Parasites in crustacea

Estimated 1-6x103 free-living bioluminescent bacteria per liter of water

Proposed explanation for bacterial bioluminescence Anaerobic bacteria may have developed bioluminescence to use up toxic oxygen

(Tett & Kelley, 1973)

Catalyze the transfer of electrons to oxygen (Nealson & Hastings, 1979)

High population density quorum sensing: attract animals to feed dispersal of population(Microbiology, Brock)

Stimulation of DNA repair (Czyz et. al, 2000)

www.pubs.acs.org

Bioluminescence Genes

lux I

AI

AIAIAI

AI

AI

AI

lux R

AI

AI

AI

AIActivation of luminescence genes

Bioluminescence reaction:How it works

ATP

AMP + PPi

RCOOH

RCHO

Oxidoreductase

NAD(P)H + H+

NAD(P)+

NAD(P)H + H+

NAD(P)+

Fatty AcidReductase

Luciferase

O2

Light

FMNH2 + O2 + RCHO FMN + RCOOH + H2O + LightLuciferase

Questions?

An Example of Bacterial BioluminescenceLight Organ colonization in Euprymna scolopes

Colonized by Vibrio fischeriboth light and presence important for development of squid

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