Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is the term given to light that is created by very specialised living plants and animals. There are two different methods by which bioluminescence are produced. The first occurs as a result of a chemical reaction when the luciferase enzyme (the catalyst) oxidises the chemical luciferin (the substrate) in the presence of a third element (the cofactor) (Day 2010).
This form of bioluminescence occurs in a wide range of plants and animals including Omphalotus (Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom), Panellus (Luminescent Mushroom), Tomopteris (Marine Plankton), Euphausia (Marine Krill), Malacosteus (Deep-sea Dragonfish), Phrixothrix (Railway Worm), Diplocardia (Earthworm), Photinus (Firefly) and Arachnocampa (Glow Worm).
Plants and animals use different elements to activate this chemical reaction. For example, bioluminescent earthworms generally use peroxides, fireflies and glow worms use adenosine triphosphate and many marine animals use calcium (Wet Tropics Management Authority 2012).
The second method occurs when the cofactor reacts with photoproteins which are proteins made from both luciferin and luciferase. Since both these chemicals are in the one molecule only an ion from the cofactor is needed to bond with the photoprotein to produce light. Animals that use this method to produce bioluminescence include Chaetopterus (Parchment Worms), Aequorea (Jellyfish) and Obelia (Marine Polyps) (McVay 2002).
Chemical Reaction
Figure 3 below shows the complex chemical reaction that allows glow worms to produce light inside an excretory tube known as the malphigian tubules. Basically the reaction is fuelled by ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and begins with a substrate known as luciferin which is oxidised by a enzyme called luciferase to produce oxyluciferin, which then produces photons of light and carbon dioxide (Baker 2009).
Bioluminescence is the term given to light that is created by very specialised living plants and animals. There are two different methods by which bioluminescence are produced. The first occurs as a result of a chemical reaction when the luciferase enzyme (the catalyst) oxidises the chemical luciferin (the substrate) in the presence of a third element (the cofactor) (Day 2010).
This form of bioluminescence occurs in a wide range of plants and animals including Omphalotus (Jack-O-Lantern Mushroom), Panellus (Luminescent Mushroom), Tomopteris (Marine Plankton), Euphausia (Marine Krill), Malacosteus (Deep-sea Dragonfish), Phrixothrix (Railway Worm), Diplocardia (Earthworm), Photinus (Firefly) and Arachnocampa (Glow Worm).
Plants and animals use different elements to activate this chemical reaction. For example, bioluminescent earthworms generally use peroxides, fireflies and glow worms use adenosine triphosphate and many marine animals use calcium (Wet Tropics Management Authority 2012).
The second method occurs when the cofactor reacts with photoproteins which are proteins made from both luciferin and luciferase. Since both these chemicals are in the one molecule only an ion from the cofactor is needed to bond with the photoprotein to produce light. Animals that use this method to produce bioluminescence include Chaetopterus (Parchment Worms), Aequorea (Jellyfish) and Obelia (Marine Polyps) (McVay 2002).
Chemical Reaction
Figure 3 below shows the complex chemical reaction that allows glow worms to produce light inside an excretory tube known as the malphigian tubules. Basically the reaction is fuelled by ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and begins with a substrate known as luciferin which is oxidised by a enzyme called luciferase to produce oxyluciferin, which then produces photons of light and carbon dioxide (Baker 2009).
Figure 3 - Bioluminescence reaction. Image by John Day