Biology: The structure of Luciferase

Proteins play an important role in the presence of organisms. They are major contributors to the regulation of cellular structure and motility, hormone interaction, information exchange, and above all, basic responses. Enzymes are proteins that activate or inhibit substrate-to-product conversion. In general, enzymes catalyze important reactions to biological processes, but some enzymes regulate other aspects of life, such as inter-species communication. The enzyme luciferase catalyzes the reaction and allows the fireflies to communicate with each other by emitting yellow-green to yellow-orange light (Nakatsu, T.).

To shine the plant, the MIT team turned to luciferase, the same enzyme used by fireflies. Luciferase acts on a molecule called fluorescein to light it and another molecule called coenzyme A promotes this process by eliminating byproducts that inhibit luciferase activity. Scientists put each ingredient in different nanoparticles, transport them to the appropriate part of the plant, and help to adjust their content. To put the particles in the plant leaves, the researchers first suspended the particles in the solution, then soaked the plants, and then exposed the plants to a high place. Pressure pressure forces particles to leaves through small pores called pores

Particles that release fluorescein and coenzyme A are designed to accumulate in the extracellular space of mesophyll, the inner layer of the leaves, whereas smaller particles carrying luciferase enter the cells that make up the mesophyll. PLGA particles gradually release fluorescein, then fluorescein enters plant cells and luciferase chemically reacts with fluorescein. Early efforts by researchers at the beginning of the project produced plants that could illuminate for about 45 minutes and these plants improved in 5 hours. The light produced by paddy seedlings of 10 cm is currently about one thousandth of the amount needed for reading, but researchers can further optimize the concentration and emission, so that the light and the emitted light I believe we can increase the period. Component ratio

The reaction can be triggered by some neurological, mechanical, chemical or undetected trigger. In firefly luminescence, ATP first reacts with firefly luciferase, ionic magnesium and firefly luciferin to form luciferase-fluorescein-adenylate complex and pyrophosphate. Next, the complex reacts with oxygen molecules to emit light. In the last step, enough energy is released to convert the electronic configuration of the luciferase-fluorescein-adenylate complex from a low energy ground state to a high energy excited state. The high energy complex loses energy by emitting visible light and returning to the ground state. The radiation effect is good, but the energy consumed by the reaction is close to 100%, so it generates little heat. So it is sometimes called cold light