ANUGRAHA MANDHIR

CBSE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL

AFFILIATION NO:1930520
54/3 APPANAICKENPATTI ROAD, KALANGAL VILLAGE, SULUR
COIMBATORE – 641 402

PROJECT WORK
IN
BIOLOGY (044)
BIOLUMINESCENCE

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT OF THE

ALL-INDIA SENIOR SECONDARY CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
(AISSCE)

BATCH 2024 – 2025

NAME OF THE STUDENT : MUGHILAN P Y

CLASS : XII-A
CBSE ROLL NO :
TEACHER IN CHARGE : MRS. SHAMILI N

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I express my heartfelt thanks to the school management for their concern and
support in the completion of my project. I would also like to extend my sincere
gratitude to Mrs. Uma Maheswari S, the Principal of Anugraha Mandhir
CBSE Senior Secondary School, for providing all the necessary facilities,
which enabled me to carry out this project successfully.

I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt thanks to my

Biology teacher, Mrs. Shamili N for her sincere cooperation, constant
guidance, and valuable suggestions throughout the course of my project.

I would like to thank my Parents and friends who have helped me with their
available suggestions to complete my project.

PLACE: Sulur
DATE :

(Signature of the student)

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 CERTIFICATE
PROJECT WORK IN CHEMISTRY

This is to certify that the project titled "Bioluminescence" is the work

done by Mr. Mughilan P Y, a student of Class 12, under the supervision of
Mrs. Shamili N and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
AISSCE (2024-2025).
Submitted for the practical examination held at Anugraha Mandhir CBSE
Senior Secondary School, on

INTERNAL EXAMINER EXTERNAL EXAMINER

PRINCIPAL

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the project report entitled in BIOLUMINESCENCE

submitted to department of biology in the academic year 2024 – 2025.

The information incorporated in this project is true and original to the

best of my knowledge.

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INTRODUCTION

You may have seen the sparkle of fireflies on a summer’s night. The
fireflies produce light through a chemical reaction in their glowing
abdomens, a process known as bioluminescence. Bioluminescence is
a natural phenomenon that occurs when a living organism emits
light. This light is usually in the form of a visible spectrum, and is
the result of a biochemical reaction. This reaction can be triggered
by a number of things, including excitement, fear, or stress. The light
can be used for a variety of purposes, such as to attract prey, deter
predators, or communicate with others of the same
species. Bioluminescence is a type of chemiluminescence, which is
simply the term for a chemical reaction where light is produced.

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Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence definition can be described as the natural
phenomenon wherein certain living organisms light up because of
certain chemical reactions. As a result, the chemical energy readily
changes into light energy.
There are a number of different organisms that are capable of
bioluminescence. These include marine creatures such as jellyfish,
fish, and shrimp, as well as insects such as fireflies and glowworms.
In addition, there are a number of land-based organisms that are
capable of bioluminescence, including mushrooms, lichen, and even
some flowers. It is noteworthy that the occurrence of
bioluminescence in land and freshwater is quite rare when compared
to its appearance in oceans. As much as 90% of animals harbouring
in the deep ocean are luminescent.
Furthermore, bioluminescent animals on land tend to emit light in
blue-green hues or shades belonging to the yellow spectrum. On the
other hand, the marine organisms emit light which has a blue-green
glow.

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History
Glowing evolved 540 million years ago. An ancient group of
glowing corals pushes back the origin of bioluminescence in animals
to more than half a billion years ago. “We had no idea it was going
to be this old,” says evolutionary marine biologist and study co-
author Danielle DeLeo.
Tiny crustaceans that lived around 270 million years ago were
previously thought to be the earliest glowing animals. Genetic
analysis and computer modelling revealed that octocorals probably
evolved the ability to make light much earlier.

The Greeks and Romans were the first to report the characteristics of
luminous organisms. Aristotle (384-322 BC) described 180 marine
species and was the first to recognise "cold light." The Greeks also

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made reference to sea phosphorescence (about 500 BC) (Harvey,
1957).

In the fifteenth century voyagers commented on the "burning sea"

phenomenon. Christopher Columbus (1492). referred to mysterious
lights in the water before reaching San Salvador Tropical fireflies in
the east were seen by Sir Frances Drake (1540-1596).
The nineteenth century brought scientific voyages such as that of
H.M.S. Challenger (1873). Later in that century Raphael Dubois
performed a significant experiment where he extracted the two key
components of a bioluminescent reaction and was able to generate
light. He coined the terms "luciferine" and the heat labile
"luciferase".
The first luciferin was isolated in 1956 (Green and McElroy, 1956).
The first photoprotein to be isolated was the calcium-activated
photoprotein aequorin in the 1960's (Shimomura et al., 1962). This
report also noted that a "green protein" was present in the extracts
from which the aequorin was purified, although the green-
fluorescent protein (GFP) itself, was not recognized as the source of
the bioluminescence in the jellyfish at that time.

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Bioluminescent chemicals
The chemical reaction that results in bioluminescence requires two
unique chemicals: luciferin and either luciferase or photoprotein.

Luciferin and its types

Luciferin is a generic term for the light-emitting compound found in
organisms that generate bioluminescence. Luciferins typically
undergo an enzyme-catalyzed reaction with molecular oxygen. The
resulting transformation, which usually involves splitting off a
molecular fragment, produces an excited state intermediate that emits
light upon decaying to its ground state. The bioluminescent color
(yellow in fireflies, greenish in lanternfish) is a result of the
arrangement of luciferin molecules color (yellow in fireflies, greenish
in lanternfish) is a result of the arrangement of luciferin molecules.
The term may refer to molecules that are substrates for both
luciferases and photo proteins.
Because of the chemical diversity of luciferins, there is no clear
unifying mechanism of action, except that all require molecular
oxygen, The variety of luciferins and luciferases, their diverse
reaction mechanisms and the scattered phylogenetic distribution

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indicate that many of them have arisen independently in the course of
evolution. Some types are mentioned below
1. Firefly luciferin
IUPAC name: (4S)-2-(6-hydroxy-1,3-benzothiazol-2-yl)-4,5-
dihydrothiazole-4-carboxylic acid
Structure:

Firefly luciferin (also known as beetle luciferin) is the luciferin, or

light-emitting compound, used for the firefly (Lampyridae), railroad
worm (Phengodidae), starworm (Rhagophthalmidae), and click-beetle
(Pyrophorini) bioluminescent systems. It is the substrate of luciferase,
which is responsible for the characteristic yellow light emission from
many firefly species.
Different species of fireflies all use the same luciferin, however the
color of the light emitted can differ greatly. Modification of the firefly
luciferin substrate has led to "red-shifted" emissions (up to emission
wavelength of 675 nm).
2. Latia luciferin
IUPAC name: (E)-2-methyl-4-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohex-1-yl)-
1-buten-1-ol
Structure:

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It is from the freshwater snail Latia neritoides.

3. Bacterial luciferin
Structure:

Bacterial luciferin is two-component system consisting of flavin

mononucleotide and a fatty aldehyde found in bioluminescent
bacteria.

4. Coelenterazine
IUPAC name: 6-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-2-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-8-
(phenylmethyl)-7H-imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-one
Structure:

Coelenterazine is a luciferin, a molecule that emits light after

reaction with oxygen, found in many aquatic organisms across
eight phyla.[1] It is the substrate of many luciferases such as
Renilla reniformis luciferase (Rluc), Gaussia luciferase (Gluc),
and photo proteins, including aequorin, and obelin.

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 The molecule absorbs light in the ultraviolet and visible
spectrum, with peak absorption at 435 nm in methanol, giving
the molecule a yellow color.

5. Dinoflagellate luciferin

Structure:

Dinoflagellate luciferase is a single protein with three luciferase

domains and an N-terminal domain. Dinoflagellate luciferin is a
chlorophyll derivative (i. e. a tetrapyrrole) and is found in some
dinoflagellates, which are often responsible for the phenomenon
of nighttime glowing waves (historically this was called
phosphorescence, but is a misleading term). A very similar type
of luciferin is found in some types of euphausiid shrimp.

6. Vargulin
IUPAC name: 2-[3-[2-[(2S)-butan-2-yl]-6-(1H-indol-3-yl)-3-
oxo-7H-imidazo[2, 1-c]pyrazin-8-yl]propyl]guanidine
Structure:

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 Vargulin, also called Cypridinid luciferin, Cypridina luciferin,
or Vargula luciferin, is the luciferin found in the ostracods.
These bottom dwelling ostracods emit a light stream into water
when disturbed presumably to deter predation. Vargulin is
oxidized by the Vargula luciferase to produce blue light at 462
nm. Vargulin is also used by the midshipman fish, Porichthys.

7. Foxfire

Structure:

Foxfire is the bioluminescence created by some species of fungi

present in decaying wood. While there may be multiple different
luciferins within the kingdom of fungi, 3-hydroxy hispidin was
determined to be the luciferin in the fruiting bodies of several
species of fungi.

Luciferase
Luciferase is an enzyme. An enzyme is a chemical (called a catalyst)
that interacts with a substrate to affect the rate of a chemical reaction.
The interaction of the luciferase with oxidized (oxygen-added)
luciferin creates a byproduct, called oxyluciferin. More importantly,
the chemical reaction creates light. Bioluminescent dinoflagellates
produce light using a luciferin-luciferase reaction. The luciferase
found in dinoflagellates is related to the green chemical chlorophyll

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found in plants. On the basis of organism and the substrate, the
luciferase enzyme is classified into the following types:

• Firefly luciferase
• Cypidine luciferase
• Rennila luciferase
• Luciola italic luciferase
• Nano luciferase

Photo proteins
Photo proteins are a type of enzyme produced by bioluminescent
organisms. They add to the function of the luciferins whose usual
light-producing reaction is catalysed by the enzyme luciferase. Photo
proteins do not display typical enzyme kinetics as seen in luciferases.
Instead, when mixed with luciferin, they display luminescence
proportional to the amount of the photo protein. Photo proteins form a
stable luciferin-photo protein complex.

Photophore
The variety of photophores in squid is exceeded only by those in
fishes. Several groups of fish use luminous bacterial symbionts as
their source of light. Shallow-water species (e.g., ponyfish and
pinecone fish) utilize bacteria (Photobacterium leiognathi and P.
fischeri, respectively) that grow best at warm temperatures. Deep-sea
fishes (e.g., rattails and spookfish) have a different symbiont (P.
phosphoreum) that does better in colder water. All these fishes have
photophores that open into the gut. A photophore is a glandular organ
that appears as luminous spots on various marine animals,
including fish and cephalopods. The bioluminescence can variously

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be produced from compounds during the digestion of prey, from
specialized mitochondrial cells in the organism called photocytes.

How it glows
Bioluminescence occurs through a chemical reaction that produces
light energy within an organism's body. For a reaction to occur, a
species must contain luciferin, a molecule that, when it reacts with
oxygen, produces light. There are different types of luciferin, which
vary depending on the animal hosting the reaction. Many organisms
also produce the catalyst luciferase, which helps to speed up the
reaction.

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Some bioluminescent organisms produce (synthesize) luciferin on
their own. Dinoflagellates, for instance, bioluminescent in a bluish-
green colour.

Some bioluminescent organisms do not synthesize luciferin. Instead,

they absorb it through other organisms, either as food or in
a symbiotic relationship. Some species of midshipman fish, for
instance, obtain luciferin through the "seed shrimp" they consume.
Many marine animals, such as squid, house bioluminescent bacteria in
their light organs. The bacteria and squid have a symbiotic
relationship.

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Why Animals Light Up

While the functions of bioluminescence are not known for all animals,
typically bioluminescence is used to warn or evade predators), to lure
or detect prey, and for communication between members of the same
species.

1. Feeding

Animals can use their light to lure prey towards their mouths, or
even to light up the area nearby so that they can see their next
meal a bit better. Sometimes the prey being lured can be small
plankton, like those attracted to the bioluminescence around the
beak of the Stauroteuthis octopus. But the light can also fool
larger animals. Whales and squid are attracted to the glowing
underside of the cookie-cutter shark, which grabs a bite out of
the animals once they are close. The deep-sea anglerfish lures
prey straight to its mouth with a dangling bioluminescent barbel,
lit by glowing bacteria.

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2. Attracting Mates

Animals don't only need to look for and attract food;

bioluminescence can also play a part in attracting a mate. The
male Caribbean ostracod, a tiny crustacean, uses bioluminescent
signals on its upper lips to attract females. Syllid fireworms live
on the seafloor, but with the onset of the full moon they move to
the open water where the females of some species,
like Odontosyllis enopla, use bioluminescence to attract males
while moving around in circles. These glowing worms may have
even helped to welcome Christopher Columbus to the New
World. Anglerfish, flashlight fish and ponyfish all are thought to
luminesce in order to tell the difference between males and
females, or otherwise communicate in order to mate.

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3. Protection

Often animals use a strong flash of bioluminescence to scare off

an impending predator. The bright signal can startle and
distract the predator and cause confusion about the whereabouts
of its target. From small copepods to the larger vampire squid,
this tactic can be very useful in the deep-sea. The "green
bomber" worm (Swima bombiviridis) and four other similar
worm species from the polychaete family release a
bioluminescent "bomb" from their body when in harms way.
These deep sea worms live close to the sea bottom and were
only discovered in 2009. Some animals such as the deep-sea
squid Octopoteuthis deletron even detach their bioluminescent
arms, which stick to and probably distract their predators. All
this commotion could also serve as a burglar alarm, attracting
larger predators to the scene. In certain cases a predator might
only get a bite of their prey, and the evidence will keep glowing
from within its stomach.

Bioluminescence can also be used to help camouflage with the

use of counterillumination. Photophores on the bottom side of
an animal can match the dim light coming from the surface,
making it harder for predators searching for prey from below to
see what they are looking for.

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Bioluminescent Light

The appearance of bioluminescent light varies greatly, depending on

the habitat and organism in which it is found.

Most marine bioluminescence, for instance, is expressed in the blue-

green part of the visible light spectrum. These colours are more easily
visible in the deep ocean. Also, most marine organisms are sensitive
only to blue-green colours. They are physically unable to process
yellow, red, or violet colours.

Most land organisms also exhibit blue-green bioluminescence.

However, many glow in the yellow spectrum, including fireflies and
the only known land snail to bioluminescent, Quantula striata, native
to the tropics of Southeast Asia.

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Few organisms can glow in more than one colour. The so-called
railroad worm (actually the larva of a beetle) may be the most
familiar. The head of the railroad worm glows red, while its body
glows green. Different luciferases cause the bioluminescence to be
expressed differently.

Some organisms emit light continuously. Some species of fungi

present in decaying wood, for instance, emit a fairly consistent glow,
called foxfire.

Most organisms, however, use their light organs to flash for periods of
less than a second to about 10 seconds. These flashes can occur in
specific spots, such as the dots on a squid. Other flashes can
illuminate the organism's entire body.

Habitats
Most bioluminescent organisms are found in the ocean. These
bioluminescent marine species include fish, bacteria, and jellies.
Some bioluminescent organisms, including fireflies and fungi, are
found on land. There are almost no bioluminescent organisms native
to freshwater habitats. Some fish dangle a lighted lure in front of their
mouths to attract prey, while some squid shoot out bioluminescent

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liquid, instead of ink, to confuse their predators. Worms and tiny
crustaceans also use bioluminescence to attract mates.

Twilight zone

The ocean twilight zone is a layer of water that stretches around the
globe. It lies 200 to 1,000 meters (about 650 to 3,300 feet) below the
ocean surface, just beyond the reach of sunlight. Also known as the
midwater or mesopelagic, the twilight zone is cold and its light is dim,
but with flashes of bioluminescence—light produced by living
organisms.

To survive in such a low-light environment, many twilight-zone

species—from microbes to jellies—produce their own light through a
biochemical process known as bioluminescence to avoid being eaten
and to attract prey.

Some small prey fish have rows of organs called photophores along
their bellies that emit light similar in intensity and colour to the light
of the surface water above, making them nearly invisible when
viewed from below.

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The region teems with life. Recent studies suggest that the biomass of
fish in the twilight zone may be ten times greater than previously
thought—more than in all the rest of the ocean combined.

Bioluminescent organisms
Bioluminescence is observed among a number of marine organisms.
This includes jellyfish, crustaceans, algae, fish, and bacteria. The
color of the light emitted by marine organism is most commonly blue
or green and in some cases red. Among land dwelling animals,
bioluminescence occurs in invertebrates such as insects (fireflies,
glow worms, millipedes), insect larvae, worms, and spiders. Below
are examples of organisms, terrestrial and marine, that are
bioluminescent.
I. Jellyfish
Jellyfish are invertebrates that consist of a jelly-like material.
They are found in both marine and freshwater habitats. Jellyfish
typically feed on dinoflagellates and other microscopic algae,
fish eggs, and even other jellyfish.

Jellyfish have the ability to emit blue or green light. A number

of different species use bioluminescence primarily for defense
purposes. The light emission is typically activated by touch,

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 which serves to startle predators. The light also makes predators
more visible and may attract other organisms that prey on
jellyfish predators. Comb jellies have been known to secrete
luminescent ink that serves to distract predators providing time
for the comb jelly to escape. Additionally, bioluminescence is
used by jellyfish to warn other organisms that a particular area is
occupied.

II. Dragonfish
Black dragonfish are monstrous-looking, scaleless fish with very
sharp, fang-like teeth. They are typically found in deep sea
aquatic habitats. These fish have specialized organs known as
photophores that produce light. Tiny photophores are located
along its body and larger photophores are found below its eyes
and in a structure that hangs below its jaw known as barbel.
Dragonfish use the glowing barbel to lure fish and other prey. In
addition to the production of blue-green light, dragonfish are
also capable of emitting red light. Red light helps the dragon
fish locate prey in the dark.

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III. Dinoflagellates
Dinoflagellates are a type of unicellular algae known as fire
algae. They are found in both marine and freshwater
environments. Some dinoflagellates are capable of
bioluminescence due to the production of chemical compounds
that produce light when they react. Bioluminescence is triggered
by contact with other organisms, objects, or by the movement of
the surface of waves. Drops in temperature may also cause some
dinoflagellates to glow. Dinoflagellates use bioluminescence to
ward off would be predators. When these organisms light up,
they give the water a beautiful blue, glowing hue.

IV. Anglerfish
Anglerfish are strange looking deep sea fish with sharp teeth.
Protruding from the dorsal spine of the females is a bulb of flesh
that contains photophores (light-producing glands or organs).
This appendage resembles a fishing pole and lure that hangs
above the animal's mouth. The luminescent bulb lights up and
attracts prey in the dark aquatic environment to the large open
mouth of the anglerfish. The lure also serves as a means to

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 attract male anglerfish. Bioluminescence seen in anglerfish is
due to the presence of bioluminescent bacteria. These bacteria
reside in the glowing bulb and produce the necessary chemicals
to emit light. In this mutualistic symbiotic relationship, the
bacteria receive protection and a place to live and grow. The
anglerfish benefits from the relationship by gaining a means of
attracting food.

V. Firefly
Fireflies are winged beetles with light producing organs located
in their abdomen. Light is created by the reaction of the
chemical luciferin with oxygen, calcium, ATP, and the
bioluminescent enzyme luciferase within the light organ.
Bioluminescence in fireflies serves several purposes. In adults, it
is primarily a means to attract mates and to lure prey. The
flashing light patterns are used to identify members of the same
species and to distinguish male fireflies from female fireflies. In
firefly larvae, the glowing light serves as a warning to predators
not to eat them because they contain distasteful toxic chemicals.
Some fireflies are capable of synchronizing their light emission
in a phenomenon known as simultaneous bioluminescence.
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VI. Glow worm
A glow worm is not actually a worm at all but the larvae of
various groups of insects or adult females that resemble larvae.
Adult female glow worms do not have wings, but have light
producing organs along their thoracic and abdominal areas. Like
fireflies, glow worms use chemical bioluminescence to attract
mates and lure prey. Glow worms produce and hang suspended
from long silky fibers that are covered in a sticky substance.
They emit light to attract prey, such as bugs, that become
entrapped in the sticky fibers. Glow worm larvae emit light to
warn predators that they are toxic and would not make a good
meal.

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VII. Fungi
Bioluminescent fungi emit a green glowing light. It has been
estimated that there are over 70 species of fungi that are
bioluminescent. Scientists believe that fungi, such as
mushrooms, glow in order to attract insects. Insects are drawn to
the mushrooms and crawl around on them, picking up spores.
The spores are spread as the insect leaves the mushroom and
travels to other locations. Bioluminescence in fungi is controlled
by a circadian clock that is regulated by temperature. As the
temperature drops when the sun sets, the fungi begin to glow
and are easily visible to insects in the dark.

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Bioluminescent ocean
The ocean can glow and glitter like the stars in the sky. Marine
creatures like some fish, squid, tiny crustaceans and algae produce
bioluminescence to either confuse predators, attract prey or even lure
potential mates. We humans can witness this natural phenomenon
when there is lots of bioluminescence in the water, usually from an
algae bloom of plankton (dinoflagellates).

Humans primarily see bioluminescence triggered by a physical

disturbance, such as waves or a moving boat hull, that gets the animal
to show their light off, but often animals light up in response to an
attack or in order to attract a mate. Bioluminescent organisms live
throughout the water column, from the surface to the seafloor, from
near the coast to the open ocean. In the deep sea, bioluminescence is
extremely common, and because the deep sea is so vast,
bioluminescence may be the most common form of communication
on the planet!

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Bioluminescence and People

Biologists and engineers are studying the chemicals

and circumstances involved in bioluminescence to understand how
people can use the process to make life easier and safer.

The medicinal applications of bioluminescence have perhaps sparked

the most interest. Green fluorescent protein was given the Nobel Prize
in Chemistry in 2008 for its discovery and development (GFP).
Unlike the bioluminescence mechanism described so far, GFP is
found naturally in the crystal jellyfish Aquaria Victoria, which is
Fluorescent-Green, fluorescent protein (GFP), for instance, is a
valuable "reporter gene." Reporter genes are chemicals (genes) that
biologists attach to other genes they are studying. GFP reporter genes
are easily identified and measured, usually by their fluorescence. This
allows scientists to trace and monitor the activity of the studied
gene—its expression in a cell, or its interaction with other chemicals.

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Future innovations
Bioluminescent technology is nothing but fad technology with no real
point or purpose, but recent innovations have begun to challenge that
idea. New designs and ideas are beginning to surface that may
transform how we light our world.
One of the most obvious ideas is to use bioluminescent algae in lamps
to create lighting sources that operate without electricity. These new
lamps would run on movement instead of electricity. Bioluminescent
algae would be stored in a long glass tube in salted water creating a
mini ecosystem.

Another more immediate application for bioluminescent technology is

using it as a tester for water purity. By genetically modifying
bioluminescent microorganisms so that their glow brightens under
duress researchers have been able to effectively identify certain toxins
in polluted water.
In the same way researchers are also developing methods to create
bioluminescent trees to line city and suburban streets. Bioluminescent

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plants big enough to be able to generate street light would effectively
eliminate the need for more expensive electrical lamps as these would
tend to be completely self-sufficient and energy free.

Similarly, in medical research, cell tracking using bioluminescent

molecules has made identifying the location of cancer cells, infection
agents, and immune system response cells easier. Bioluminescent
molecules tend to coagulate in those areas, and since bioluminescent
technology allows researchers to study live tissue (something that was
previously impossible) they have been able to chart the course and
spread of many diseases in an actual living environment.

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Bibliography
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioluminescence
https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/biolum.html
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/biolumines
cence/
https://ocean.si.edu/ocean-life/fish/bioluminescence
https://www.britannica.com/science/bioluminescence
https://byjus.com/biology/bioluminescence/

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