Comparison of relative photon flux from single cells of the bioluminescent marine bacteria Vibrio fischeri and Vibrio harveyi using photon-counting microscopy.

Abstract

Photon counting microscopy was used to quantify relative photon flux from 616 single sessile cells of Vibrio harveyi and 180 single sessile cells of V. fischeri. V. fischeri cells all emitted light at nearly the same level (average 15.93+/-11.48 photons/min, range 0-58.9 photons/min) when bioluminescence was induced, whereas photon flux of V. harveyi single cells was extremely variable (average 10.51+/-20.60 photons/min, range 0-211 photons/min).