The bioluminescence of Henlea sp. earthworms is enhanced by low-molecular weight cofactors termed ActH and ActS. The compounds were purified from earthworm extracts and investigated by NMR and HRMS. ActH was identified as cofactor F0, ActS turned out as sulfated ActH. The project is performed in colllaboration with Institute of Biophysics, Krasnoyarsk Research Center, Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University and Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. Further details could be found on Org Biomol Chem website.
Mechanism of coelenterazine chromophore photoinactivation from Beroe abissycola photoprotein is proposed
New paper in Organic Letters made in collaboration with Photobiology Lab from Institute of Biophysics SB RAS (Krasnoyarsk, Russia) describes the elucidation of the mechanism of Beroe abyssicola photoprotein photoinactivation. See here.
Congratulations to Nadezhda Myshkina (Markina)!
Congratulations to Nadezhda Myshkina (Markina) with successful PhD thesis defence. We wish you many fruitful years in science! Full video is available here (russian only).
Paper about Odontosyllis luciferin in PNAS
This was a tough one to crack! Only 3 signals in proton NMR spectrum, and, thanks to X-ray, we could see more. But now we finally know how exactly these polychaeta worms glow to mate each other. Check out our new paper about Odontosyllis luciferin on PNAS website.
Figure from PNAS website. O. undecimdonta worms and components of its bioluminescence system. (A) The fireworm in daylight and in the dark. (B) Light emission of lyophilized worms in water. (C) NMR tube with the purified oxyluciferin (Green), visible light. (D) Fluorescence of Green, UV light. (E) NMR tube with the purified product of nonenzymatic oxidation of luciferin (Pink), visible light.
Third edition of Shimomura's "Bioluminescence" is now available
We are proud to announce that the third edition of Osamu Shimomura’s “Bioluminescence. Chemical Principles and Methods” is now available for purchase. Congratulations to our staff and colleagues, who participated in the preparation of this edition of the book.
Our paper about fungal bioluminescent system is out!
After more than five years of a very collaborative research, we are glad to announce the main components of fungal bioluminescent system.
Many thanks to everyone who contributed to this study. This is definitely one of our most interesting projects so far – and it’s not over! 😉
Check out our paper on PNAS website
© Sergey Shakhov
Le Monde paper about our research
Our research was highlighted in LeMonde newspaper
New in fungal bioluminescence: oxyluciferin, reaction mechanism and further prospects
New paper about the mechanism of bioluminescence in fungi was published online in Science Advances journal today!
The New York Times published our research overview!
Our review about new bioluminescent systems was published in Accounts of Chemical Research
Read the paper here.
