ON THE MOLECULAR MECHANISM OF BIOLUMINESCENCE, I. THE ROLE OF LONG-CHAIN ALDEHYDE

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Abstract
The in vitro bioluminescent reaction with bacterial luciferase in the liquid state is greatly stimulated by the addition of long-chain saturated fatty aldehydes. Light is readily emitted from this enzyme system after freezing, and the total amount of light emitted under these conditions does not depend so much upon aldehyde (a relatively high quantum yield being obtained with and without aldehyde). Aldehyde is required to give a high quantum yield in the liquid state. The function of aldehyde in the liquid state may be to fix the emitter or enzyme molecule in a configuration which favors recombinations resulting in an excited state.