Second bioluminescence-activating component in the luminous fungus Mycena chlorophos.

Abstract

Mycena chlorophos is an oxygen-dependent bioluminescent fungus. The mechanisms underlying its light emission are unknown. A component that increased the bioluminescence intensity of the immature living gills of M. chlorophos was isolated from mature M. chlorophos gills and chemically characterized. The bioluminescence-activating component was found to be trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid and its bioluminescence activation was highly structure-specific. 13 C- and 18 O-labelling studies using the immature living gills showed that trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid was synthesized from trans-4-hydroxycinnamic acid in the gills by hydroxylation with molecular oxygen as well as by the general metabolism, and trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid did not produce hispidin (detection-limit concentration: 10 pmol/1 g wet gill). Addition of 0.01 mM hispidin to the immature living gills generated no bioluminescence activation. These results suggested that the prompt bioluminescence activation resulting from addition of trans-3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid could not be attributed to the generation of hispidin. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.