| luciferin | <protein> Substrate for the enzyme luciferase that catalyses an oxidative reaction leading to photon emission (bioluminescence). (18 Nov 1997) |
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| luciferins | A generic term referring to a substrate which, upon oxidation by the enzyme luciferase, produces bioluminescence. Luciferins isolated from different species may vary greatly in structure, although in many cases identical structures have been found in widely diverse animals. The american firefly, photinus pyralis, and its substrate have been studied extensively and is used in the assay of adenosine triphosphate. (12 Dec 1998) |