Elucidating Mechanisms of Biofluorescence and Bioluminescence in Marine Organisms
Biofluorescence and bioluminescence are two methods of light emission that entail separate mechanisms of action but end at the same process: a colorful display that have tremendous ecological and behavioral benefits, whether it be used to communicate with conspecifics, camouflage into a multicolored background, attract unsuspecting prey, or alert others to a predator. In biofluorescence, higher-energy, shorter wavelength light is absorbed then re-emitted as lower-energy, longer-wavelength light. Bioluminescence on the other hand entails a chemical reaction in which a small molecule is oxidized by an enzyme, creating a high-energy intermediate that sheds the excess energy in the form of visible light. The research presented here will look at separate proteins to uncover their molecular interactions that lead to light generation. We combine transcriptomics, phylogenetics, and biochemical assays to unravel these mysteries. We have studied fluorescent fatty acid binding proteins to discover which residues are important for eel fluorescence (Chapter 2), as well as to reveal a new member of the group from the Muraenidae family (Chapter 3). Additionally, we confirmed that the pyrosome Pyrosoma atlanticum utilizes an endogenous luciferase that reacts with coelenterazine to luminesce (Chapter 5). Our results provide better insight into the two separates forms of light emission, provide new tools for biomedical research, and overturn old paradigms, all while contextualizing these new proteins in an evolutionary perspective.
Evolution, Molecular Biology, Biofluorescence, Bioluminescence, Eel, Pyrosome, Protein Biology
City University of New York - Graduate Center
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The Graduate School and University Center of The City University of New York