TY - JOUR
T1 - The circadian rhythm of bioluminescence in Pyrocystis is not due to differences in the amount of luciferase
T2 - A comparative study of the three bioluminescent marine dinoflagellates
AU - Knaust, Rosemarie
AU - Urbig, Thomas
AU - Li, Liming
AU - Taylor, Walter
AU - Hastings, J. Woodland
PY - 1998/2
Y1 - 1998/2
N2 - The biochemistry and circadian regulation of luminescence in two Pyrocystis species, P. lunula Hulburt and P. noctiluca Murray et Haeckel, were compared with a well-studied species, Gonyaulax polyedra Stein. All exhibit circadian rhythms and all have similar luciferins and luciferases. However, the Pyrocystis species lack a second protein involved in the reaction in Gonyaulax, the luciferin (substrate) binding protein, which sequesters the luciferin at the cytoplasmic pH and releases it upon acidification, thus con- trolling the characteristic flashing, which is similar in the three species. More striking is the difference in the circadian regulation of luminescence, which in Gonyaulax involves the daily synthesis and destruction of the two proteins, along with the luminous organelles (scintillons) from which light is emitted, and which are present in all species. In the Pyrocystis species, the amount of luciferase is the same in extracts made during the day and night phases; its circadian regulation in vivo may be attributed to a change in its localization from day to night phase.
AB - The biochemistry and circadian regulation of luminescence in two Pyrocystis species, P. lunula Hulburt and P. noctiluca Murray et Haeckel, were compared with a well-studied species, Gonyaulax polyedra Stein. All exhibit circadian rhythms and all have similar luciferins and luciferases. However, the Pyrocystis species lack a second protein involved in the reaction in Gonyaulax, the luciferin (substrate) binding protein, which sequesters the luciferin at the cytoplasmic pH and releases it upon acidification, thus con- trolling the characteristic flashing, which is similar in the three species. More striking is the difference in the circadian regulation of luminescence, which in Gonyaulax involves the daily synthesis and destruction of the two proteins, along with the luminous organelles (scintillons) from which light is emitted, and which are present in all species. In the Pyrocystis species, the amount of luciferase is the same in extracts made during the day and night phases; its circadian regulation in vivo may be attributed to a change in its localization from day to night phase.
KW - Bioluminescence
KW - Circadian rhythm
KW - Dinoflagellates
KW - Luciferase
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U2 - 10.1046/j.1529-8817.1998.340167.x
DO - 10.1046/j.1529-8817.1998.340167.x
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0031902391
SN - 0022-3646
VL - 34
SP - 167
EP - 172
JO - Journal of Phycology
JF - Journal of Phycology
IS - 1
ER -