You searched for: “oxyluciferin
oxyluciferin
1. The activated derivative of luciferin formed in bioluminescence.
2. The oxidized form of any luciferin.

It is produced by enzymic oxidation of a luciferin, the enzyme being a luciferase. This oxididation forms a molecule of oxyluciferin in an electronically excited state, and the molecule can fall to its ground state on emission of a quantum of light.

The wavelength of the light emitted is determined by the nature of both the oxyluciferin and the luciferase to which it is bound.

This entry is located in the following unit: lucifer, luci- + (page 1)