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ANALOGS AND DERIVATIVES OF FIREFLY OXYLUCIFERIN, THE LIGHT EMITTER IN FIREFLY BIOLUMINESCENCE
Author(s) -
WHITE EMIL H.,
ROSWELL DAVID F.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
photochemistry and photobiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.818
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1751-1097
pISSN - 0031-8655
DOI - 10.1111/j.1751-1097.1991.tb08478.x
Subject(s) - firefly protocol , bioluminescence , luciferase , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , zoology , transfection , gene
— The 5‐methyl analog of firefly oxyluciferin, two isomeric O‐methyl ether derivatives of it and an O, O Ó‐dimethyl ether derivative were synthesized and their UV absorption and fluorescence emission spectra were determined. Comparisons of the emission data with the emission wavelength in bioluminescence indicate that the mono‐anions of firefly oxyluciferin are candidates for the light‐emitters in bioluminescence. Further, we have found that the chemiluminescence of active esters of firefly luciferin produces (from the keto form of oxyluciferin) only red light emission under a variety of conditions; a yellow‐green light emission (from the enolic forms of the oxyluciferin product) could not be elicited.