Exogenous compounds in studying the mechanism of electron-excited state formation in bioluminescence.

Abstract

Using a series of exogenous fluorescent molecules as potential energy acceptors, the hypothesis on the activity of the upper electron-excited states in bioluminescence was tested. The results in bacterial and firefly bioluminescent enzyme systems were compared. Similar activity to the energetic precursor in bacterial bioluminescence was not proven in the case of the firefly system, the result of a very efficient intramolecular energy transfer in the emitter of the firefly bioluminescence. The influence of a number of metallic salts on a bacterial bioluminescent enzyme system was studied. Bioluminescence inhibition coefficients were compared to the free energies of electron withdrawing of cations. The correlation shows that inhibition and activation of luminescence intensity result from the effects of cations on electron transfer in the bioluminescent system.