1. Bioluminescence

2. What is it? Light as a result of a chemical reaction
Common examples: fireflies, anglerfish, mushrooms
Luminescent bacteria: basic luminescent organism to work with

3. The Mechanism
Light produced by oxidation of luciferin catalyzed by luciferase in the presence of ATP
Luciferin, when oxidized, degrades to coelenteramide and releases energy in the form of a photon
Luciferin, luciferase general terms
Little to no heat loss

4. Why use bioluminescence?
Aspects that make bioluminescence helpful to work with
Luciferase genes can be inserted into organisms
The reaction uses ATP, provides a useful gauge of ATP concentration
Produces light!

5. What has been done?
Genes have been synthesized, inserted into mice, silkworms, potatoes, monkey cells
Luciferase gene modification
Gene contains 6 introns, all <60 bases
Has been modified to express 2x luciferase
Detection of living Salmonella cells
GloFish

6. Bioluminescent assays
Targets such as kinases, proteases, apoptosis
Detection of ATP allows analysis of cell metabolism and enzymatic processes
Whole animal imaging
Different types of cells (bone marrow stem cells, T-cells) can express firefly luciferase
Allows imaging; can be used to track tumor development

7. Ideas
From Wikipedia

8. Crazy Solar-powered light sources
Plants already create ATP from photosynthesis
Could use ATP for luminescence at night
Applications include city lighting, nightlights & Christmas lights, art
Living houses? Fab tree hab?

9. Interesting Modify bacteria to monitor chemical levels
Bioluminescent bacteria (e.coli) modified to be selective towards certain toxins
Luminometer returns toxin levels
Useful for environmental toxin monitoring

10. Interesting
Detect presence of certain chemicals (harmful, maybe pollutants?)
Insert luciferase gene into an organism that thrives under and indicates certain conditions (ie algae and phosphorus?)

11. Safe Luminescent bacteria tags
Insert luciferase gene into symbiotic bacteria that can live in certain organisms
Uses: track pests, non-native species, etc.

12. Safe Life-spanned messages/patterns/pictures
Grow luminescent cells/bacteria on a plate
Will only grow/glow as long as they have nutrients
Will lose luminescence when nutrients run out