luciferin

luciferin
/looh sif"euhr in/, n. Biochem.
a pigment occurring in luminescent organisms, as fireflies, that emits light when undergoing oxidation.
[1885-90; < L lucifer (see LUCIFER) + -IN2]

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      in biochemistry, any of several organic compounds whose oxidation in the presence of the enzyme luciferase produces light. Luciferins vary in chemical structure; the luciferin of luminescent bacteria, for example, is completely different from that of fireflies. For each type luciferin, there is a specific luciferase. See also bioluminescence.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Luciferin — Lu*cif er*in (l[=oo]*s[i^]f [ e]r*[i^]n), n. (Biochem.) any of several substances found in luminescent organisms (such as the firefly, {Photinus pyralis}) which, when oxidized, produces an almost heatless light. It was first isolated from… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • luciferin — [lo͞o sif′ər in] n. [L lucifer (see LUCIFER) + IN1] a substance in luminescent organisms, as fireflies, that produces light by combining with oxygen in the presence of luciferase …   English World dictionary

  • Luciferin — Luciferine sind unterschiedliche Naturstoffe, die in verschiedenen biolumineszenten Organismen zur Erzeugung von Licht genutzt werden. In Gegenwart des entsprechenden Luciferase Enzyms reagieren sie mit Sauerstoff (Oxidation). Bei der Veränderung …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Luciferin — Luciferins (from the Latin lucifer , light bringer ) are a class of light emitting biological pigments found in organisms capable of bioluminescence.Types of luciferinLuciferins are a class of small molecule substrate each for their corresponding …   Wikipedia

  • luciferin — liuciferinas statusas T sritis chemija apibrėžtis Medžiaga, sukelianti bioliuminescenciją. atitikmenys: angl. luciferin rus. люциферин …   Chemijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • Luciferin-Luciferase-System — Luciferin Luciferase System, häufig der Erscheinung der ⇒ Biolumineszenz zugrunde liegendes chemisches System, in dem ein Substrat, Luciferin, das chemisch sehr verschiedenen Stoffgruppen angehören kann, mit Hilfe des Enzyms Luciferase oxidiert,… …   Deutsch wörterbuch der biologie

  • luciferin — noun Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary, from Latin lucifer light bearing Date: 1888 any of various organic substances in luminescent organisms (as fireflies) that upon oxidation produce a virtually heatless light …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • luciferin — a substance concerned in bioluminescence, being oxidized in the presence of the enzyme luciferase to produce oxyluciferin and light …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • luciferin — n. [L. lux, light; ferre, to bring] A substance found in luminescent organisms that, in the presence of the enzyme luciferase, oxidizes and produces light …   Dictionary of invertebrate zoology

  • luciferin — noun Any of a class of polycyclic heterocycles that are responsible for the bioluminescence of fireflies, being converted to oxyluciferin by luciferase in the process …   Wiktionary

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