Functional expression and spectroscopic analysis of luciferases from Lampyris turkestanicus and Photinus pyralis were carried out. cDNA encoding L. turkestanicus luciferase was isolated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, cloned, and functionally expressed in Escherichia coli. The luciferases were purified to homogeneity using Ni-nitrilotriacetic acid Sepharose, and kinetic prop...

introduction: gene expression and purification of luciferases from the firefly, lampyris turkestanicus, and optimization of cellular atp measurements were performed. methods: cdna encoding luciferases from lampyris turkestanicus was transferred from pqe30 vector into pet28a expression vector and pltu28 was built. newly constructed vector was expressed in e. coli xl1 blue and the recombinant luc...

Introduction: Gene expression and purification of luciferases from the firefly, Lampyris turkestanicus, and optimization of cellular ATP measurements were performed. Methods: cDNA encoding luciferases from Lampyris turkestanicus was transferred from pQE30 vector into pET28a expression vector and pLtu28 was built. Newly constructed vector was expressed in E. coli XL1 Blue and the recombinant l...

The bioluminescence colours of firefly luciferases are determined by assay conditions and luciferase structure. Owing to red light having lower energy than green light and being less absorbed by biological tissues, red-emitting luciferases have been considered as useful reporters in imaging technology. A set of red-emitting mutants of Lampyris turkestanicus (Iranian firefly) luciferase has been...

In most bioluminescence systems the oxidation of luciferin and production of light is catalyzed by luciferases. Protein engineering studies have shown that thermostable proteins from thermophilic organisms have a higher frequency of Arg, especially in exposed states. To further clarify the arginine saturation effect on thermostability of firefly luciferase, some of hydrophobic solvent-exposed r...

The gene coding for beetle luciferase, the enzyme responsible for bioluminescence in over two thousand coleopteran species has, to date, only been characterized from one Palearctic species of Lampyridae. Here we report the characterization of the luciferase gene from a female beetle of an Iranian lampyrid species, Nyctophila cf. caucasica (Coleoptera:Lampyridae). The luciferase gene was compose...