Purification, characterization and mechanistic study with fungal luciferin

• Grant number: 12/05205-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)
• Start date: June 01, 2012
• End date: February 29, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Organic Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Cassius Vinicius Stevani
• Grantee: Rodrigo Pimenta Carvalho
• Host Institution: Instituto de Química (IQ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Since the late nineteenth century, studies have been conducted with bioluminescent organisms. Nevertheless, the bioluminescence of fungi is still poorly understood when we think about the nature of the substrate, enzymes and the mechanism involved in light emission. Dubois gave in 1887 the terms luciferina and luciferase, referring to the factor thermostable (luciferina) and protein (luciferase), presents in extracts (hot and cold respectively) of bioluminescent organisms. According to Harvey, luciferins of luminescent species are different except those biologically related (Campbell 1988). However, subsequent studies have shown that coelenterazine (luciferina jellyfish) was present in several bioluminescent organisms (eg shrimp, squid and fish) (Shimomura 2006), refuting the Harvey proposed. Luciferin can be defined as an organic compound found in bioluminescent organism and that during the oxidation process, leads to formation of an excited species responsible for the emission of light. The main objective of this project is to purify, characterize, the fungal luciferina as well as studying the mechanism of light emission. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

CARVALHO, Rodrigo Pimenta. Purification, carachterization and mechanistic study with the fungal luciferin. 2016. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Conjunto das Químicas (IQ e FCF) (CQ/DBDCQ) São Paulo.