Author:
Mitiouchkina Tatiana,Mishin Alexander S.,Gonzalez Somermeyer Louisa,Markina Nadezhda M.,Chepurnyh Tatiana V.,Guglya Elena B.,Karataeva Tatiana A.,Palkina Kseniia A.,Shakhova Ekaterina S.,Fakhranurova Liliia I.,Chekova Sofia V.,Tsarkova Aleksandra S.,Golubev Yaroslav V.,Negrebetsky Vadim V.,Dolgushin Sergey A.,Shalaev Pavel V.,Melnik Olesya A.,Shipunova Victoria O.,Deyev Sergey M.,Bubyrev Andrey I.,Pushin Alexander S.,Choob Vladimir V.,Dolgov Sergey V.,Kondrashov Fyodor A.,Yampolsky Ilia V.,Sarkisyan Karen S.
Abstract
AbstractIn contrast to fluorescent proteins, light emission from luciferase reporters requires exogenous addition of a luciferin substrate. Bacterial bioluminescence has been the single exception, where an operon of five genes is sufficient to produce light autonomously. Although commonly used in prokaryotic hosts, toxicity of the aldehyde substrate has limited its use in eukaryotes1. Here we demonstrate autonomous luminescence in a multicellular eukaryotic organism by incorporating a recently discovered fungal bioluminescent system2 into tobacco plants. We monitored these light-emitting plants from germination to flowering, observing temporal and spatial patterns of luminescence across time scales from seconds to months. The dynamic patterns of luminescence reflected progression through developmental stages, circadian oscillations, transport, and response to injuries. As with other fluorescent and luminescent reporters, we anticipate that this system will be further engineered for varied purposes, especially where exogenous addition of substrate is undesirable.
Publisher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory