Community and Forum → Other questions. Insects topics → pH-sensitivity of firefly luciferase spectra
Atropos, 19.05.2007 15:24
It is known that the luciferase spectrum of firefly beetles (Lampyridae) depends on pH (the glow color is green/yellow-green at pH ~ 8, when the pH decreases, it turns yellow, and eventually turns red). At the same time, the spectrum of fairly homologous luciferases in bioluminescent click beetles (Elateridae), Rhagophthalmidae, and Phengodidae is practically independent of pH.
I wonder what might be the biological meaning of such a difference? Why in the course of evolution could selection go in the direction of this property?
And this difference does not seem to be used in any way, they always glow in a well-defined color, mainly green.
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