Acridine dyes and other DNA-intercalating agents induce the luminescence system of luminous bacteria and their dark variants.

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Abstract
Acridine dyes and other DNA-intercalating agents such as ethidium bromide, theophylline and caffeine induce luminescence in dark variants (K variants) of different luminous species of bacteria (i.e., Photobacterium phosphoreum, P. leiognathi and Beneckea harveyi) and in their wild-type luminous cells, prior to induction. The increase in luminescence appears 10-20 min after the addition of these agents and is inhibited by chloramphenicol or rifampicin. Addition of these agents affects the synthesis of both luciferase and aldehyde-synthesizing enzymes. These agents, through their intercalation into DNA, may cause configurational changes resulting in derepressed transcription of the luminescence operon.

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