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Mechanically Assisted Bioluminescence with Natural Luciferase
Author(s) -
Schramm Stefan,
AlHandawi Marieh B.,
Karothu Durga Prasad,
Kurlevskaya Anastasiya,
Commins Patrick,
Mitani Yasuo,
Wu Chun,
Ohmiya Yoshihiro,
Naumov Panče
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202007440
Subject(s) - bioluminescence , luciferases , luciferin , luciferase , chemistry , photoprotein , bioluminescence imaging , biophysics , mechanochemistry , light emission , photochemistry , nanotechnology , biochemistry , materials science , optoelectronics , biology , organic chemistry , transfection , gene
Abstract Mechanochemical analogues have recently been established for several enzymatic reactions, but they require periodic interruption of the reaction for sampling, dissolution, and (bio)chemical analysis to monitor their progress. By applying a mechanochemical procedure to induce bioluminescence analogous to that used by the marine ostracod Cypridina (Vargula) hilgendorfii, here we demonstrate that the light emitted by a bioluminescent reaction can be used to directly monitor the progress of a mechanoenzymatic reaction without sampling. Mechanical treatment of Cypridina luciferase with luciferin generates bright blue light which can be readily detected and analyzed spectroscopically. This mechanically assisted bioluminescence proceeds through a mechanism identical to that of bioluminescence in solution, but has higher activation energy due to being diffusion‐controlled in the viscous matrix. The results suggest that luciferases could be used as light‐emissive reporters of mechanoenzymatic reactions.