Bacterial luciferase inhibition

Eberhard, A. (1972). Inhibition and activation of bacterial luciferase synthesis. J. Bacteriol. 109 1101-1105. 

Holzman, T.F. and Baldwin, T.O., Reversible inhibition of the bacterial luciferase catalyzed bioluminescence reaction by aldehyde substrate kinetic mechanism and Ugand effects. Biochemistry, 22, 2838, 1983. 

The mechanisms of inhibition/stimulation of bacterial luminescence are not fully understood. A luciferase-flavin adduct is formed in an excited state and the excess of energy is then released in the form of visible light (Nakamura et al. 1982). Any substance able to interfere in one or more steps of this reaction, as shown by reduced light emission, is classified as toxic. Also, a substance which may interact with any of the other biochemical functions of the bacteria, resulting in the death or a reduced metabolic activity of the organisms is... 

It is well known that ATP is a major physiological parameter in cells, so that firefly luciferase is used for BL detection of bacterial contaminations, activity estimations of erythrocytes after blood conservation and antibiotic effects. BL measurements of microorganism growth rates is applied to assess antibiotic substrates, where the level of inhibition is most important. Information about the appropriate antibiotic treatment of open infections is received within 2-3 hours [28]. 

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