Luciferins, bioluminescent substances

The bioluminescence of the American firefly Photinus is due to the reaction of 2-(6-hydroxybenzothiazol-2-yl)-Δ²-1,3-thiazoline-4-carboxylic acid (“firefly luciferin”) with the enzyme luciferase in the presence of ATP and magnesium ion. In the crustacean Cypridina, on the other hand, the bioluminescence is due to the reaction of a luciferase with 8-(3-guanidinopropyl)-6-indol-3-yl-2-(1-methylpropyl)-3,7-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]-pyrazin-3-one (“Cypridina luciferin”). The luciferin in Latia is 1,3,3-trimethyl-2-(4-formyloxy-3-methyl-3-butenyl)-1-cyclohexene and that in Renilla is a tryptamine derivative that has not yet been accurately identified; the luciferins of other luminescent organisms are not yet known. A review is given of the investigations which have been carried out on the above luciferins and the course of the luciferin-luciferase reaction is examined. Numerous spectral data obtained during the examination of these compounds are included in the text.