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AAT Bioquest

Where is luciferase produced?

Posted May 17, 2021


Answer

Luciferase is a protein with enzymatic activity. In the presence of ATP, oxygen, and the appropriate substrate (typically luciferin), luciferase catalyzes the oxidation of the substrate in a reaction that results in the emission of a photon. Luciferase occurs naturally in luminous marine, terrestrial microorganisms and insect fireflies. A firefly controls the beginning and end of the chemical reaction, and thus the start and stop of its light emission, by adding oxygen to the other chemicals needed to produce light. This happens in the insect's light-producing organ.

Additional resources

How and why do fireflies light up?

Luciferase *Recombinant firefly*