Molecular evolution of the luciferases of the lanterns from the adult and larval stages of luminescent elaterids and molecular phylogeny of Elateroidea

• Grant number: 10/02868-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: August 01, 2010
• End date: September 30, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Biophysics - Radiology and Photobiology
• Principal Investigator: Vadim Viviani
• Grantee: Danilo Trabuco do Amaral
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 13/00574-7 - Organization and comparative analysis of the mitochondrial genome for phylogenetic studies in Elateroidea (Coleoptera: Polyphaga), BE.EP.DD

Abstract

Several luminescent beetle luciferases have been cloned and sequenced, mainly from species of Lampyridae family. Despite many luciferases were cloned, luciferases from different life stages (egg, larva and adult) of the same species were not cloned and compared yet. This study is particularly relevant to better understand the ontogeny and molecular evolution of luciferases and bioluminescence in Coleoptera. For this purpose, beetles species that display different colors in different stages of life are particularly interesting. The Pyrearinus termitilluminans larva presents the most blue-shift bioluminescence among beetles known, and the adult has abdominal and thoracic lanterns that produce yellow and green light, respectively. The larval stage luciferase has been cloned and studies of structure and function already exist. Using molecular biology techniques, we intend to clone and sequence the dorsal and ventral luciferases of this species. The study aims is compare the luciferases of different phases of life and different lanterns as well as to investigate the following aspects: 1) the relationship between structure and colors in elaterid luciferases; 2) ontogeny and molecular evolution of elaterid luciferases. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AMARAL, DANILO T.; MITANI, YASUO; OLIVEIRA, GABRIELA; OHMIYA, YOSHIHIRO; VIVIANI, VADIM R.. Revisiting Coleoptera a plus T-rich region: structural conservation, phylogenetic and phylogeographic approaches in mitochondrial control region of bioluminescent Elateridae species (Coleoptera). MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART A, v. 28, n. 4-5, p. 671-680, SEP 2017. (14/20176-9, 13/00574-7, 13/09594-0, 11/19427-9, 10/02868-0)