Source of oxygen in the CO 2 produced in the bioluminescent oxidation of firefly luciferin

Abstract
Incorporation of 18 O into the CO 2 produced in the bioluminescent oxidation of firefly luciferin was studied. In H 2 16 O medium with 18 O 2 gas, the product CO 2 contained up to 75% C 16 O 18 O, showing that one O of the product CO 2 arose from the O 2 that oxidized luciferin. This result is consistent with a dioxetane mechanism. Analysis of the mass spectral data of the CO 2 obtained in high-enrichment H 2 18 O medium with 16 O 2 gas indicated the presence of about 20% contaminating CO 2 , which contributes approximately 70% of the total incorporated 18 O. Thus the values of incorporated 18 O in H 2 18 O medium with 16 O 2 gas have no significance in the present context. Data obtained with luciferases of the American firefly Photinus and Japanese firefly Luciola were similar.

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