Vargula, bioluminescent

Hirano T, Takahashi Y, Kondo H, Maki S, Kojima S, Ikeda H, Niwa H. The reaction mechanism for the high quantum yield of the Cypridina (Vargula) bioluminescence supported by chemiluminescence of 6-aryl-2-methylimidazo-[l,2-a]pyrazin-3(7H)-ones (Cypridina luciferin analogues). Photochem Photobiol Sci 2008 7 197-207. 

Thompson, E. M., Nafpakdds, B. G., and Tsuji, F. I. (1987). Induction of bioluminescence in the marine fish, Porichthys, by Vargula (crustacean) luciferin. Evidence for de novo synthesis or recycling of luciferin. Pho-tochem. Photobiol. 45 529-533. 

Toya, Y. (1992). Chemistry of Vargula (formerly Cypridina) bioluminescence. Nippon Nogei Kagaku Kaishi 66 742-747. 

Cypridina luciferin is an imidazopyrazinone involved in the bioluminescence of the crustacean Cypridina (Vargula) hilgendotfii. The first total synthesis of this natural product was achieved by Kishi in 1966, which was followed by that of White and Karpetsky in 1971. Most recently, Nakamura et al. developed a convenient, direct procedure for this synthesis, employing Suzuki coupling (Eq. (36)) [67]. 

L-Arg (guanido- N2, N, >98%) hydrochloride, L-Trp (indole-Ds, D, 98%), and L-Ile (Uniform- Ce, C, 98%) were purchased from Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc. The enrichment of these compounds (>95%) was reconfirmed by MALDI-TOFMS analysis. All other chemicals were of highest grade commercially available. Complete release of luciferin (1) from Vargula by electric stimulation The individuals were put into 10 mL of artificial seawater in a Petri dish, which was equipped with two carbon electrodes (spare lead). In order to release the luciferin completely, AC 30 V was charged to the electrodes for one second repeatedly (20-30 times), until no bioluminescence was observed after the pulse stimulation. Preparation of the formula bait... 

CHEMIEXCITATION MECHANISM FOR CYPRIDINA (VARGULA) AND AEQUOREA BIOLUMINESCENCE... 

Firefly, marine bacterial, Renilla and Vargula lucif-erase, and the photoprotein apoaequorin have all been employed as labels in immunoassays (Table 3). An example of the experimental design for a competitive bioluminescent immunoassay for the drug methotrexate based on a firefly luciferase label is shown in reaction [XII] ... 

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