BIoluminescence

(noun)

The emission of light by a living organism.

Related Terms

  • cilia

Examples of BIoluminescence in the following topics:

  • Squid-Aliivibrio Symbiosis

    • A special category of symbiotic relationships involve bioluminescence, where light producing bacteria are hosted by another organism.
    • One of the best studied examples of bioluminescence is the Hawaiian bobtail squid (Euprymna scolopes) and its mutualistic bacteria, Aliivibrio fischeri.
  • Tracking Cells with Light

    • The most commonly used reporter genes have biofluorescent or bioluminescent characteristics and can be visualized with the aid of microscopy and other non-invasive imaging equipments.
    • Luciferase, isolated from fireflies, is an enzyme present in the cells of bioluminescent organisms that catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin and ATP producing light.
    • Thus, only those cells in which the tagged gene is expressed, or the target proteins are produced, will fluoresce when observed under fluorescence microscopy , or bioluminesce (emit light) when luciferin, the substrate for luciferase is added.
  • Signaling in Bacteria

    • When the population density of the bacteria reached a certain level, specific gene expression was initiated: the bacteria produced bioluminescent proteins that emitted light.
    • (b) Hawaiian bobtail squid have a symbiotic relationship with the bioluminescent bacteria Vibrio fischeri.
  • Chromalveolata: Alveolates

    • Some dinoflagellates generate light, called bioluminescence, when they are jarred or stressed.
    • Bioluminescence is emitted from dinoflagellates in a breaking wave, as seen from the New Jersey coast.
  • Quorum Sensing

    • For instance, the bioluminescent luciferase produced by Vibrio fischeri would not be visible if it were produced by a single cell.
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