Bioluminescenc

Definition

When a living organism produces and emits result as a result of chemical reaction is called bioluminescence.

Introduction

Bio means “living’ in Greek while Lumens means “Light’ in Latin.

During the process, chemical energy is converted into light energy.

The process is caused by enzyme catalyzed chemiluminescence reaction.

All bioluminescence organisms use a reaction between an enzyme and a substrate to make light.

Occurrence:

Bioluminescence on land in freshwater is rare compared to its occurrence in the ocean.

In the deep ocean 90% of animals are bioluminescent.

Bioluminescence In Fishes:

Marine fish are the only vertebrates that have ability. Researchers have documented about that 15,000 bioluminescent fish species, most of them found in deep sea.

Examples: Lantern fish, Angler fish etc.

These fishes are able to create light in at least two different ways. Some of them can produce chemical reaction, other have developed symbiotic relationship with bioluminescent bacteria.

How It Happens?

Bioluminescence is product of chemical reaction in organism.

Three ingredients are needed for bioluminescence to occur:

Luciferins ;Protein like light producing substance.

Luciferase; It is enzyme and allow light producing chemical reaction to take place.

Oxygen: It is colorless. odorless and found in water.

In the presence of oxygen, enzyme LUCIFERASE act upon LUCIFERIN to produce energy .This energy takes the form of light. Luciferase allow oxygen to combine with luciferin .This reaction produce light and oxidized luciferin become inactive oxyluciferin. .In some species, the luciferase requires other cofactors, such as calcium, or magnesium ions, and sometimes also the energy-carrying molecule(ATP).

Reaction:

Bioluminescence is chemiluminescence that occur in living organism .In this, a molecule get exited by an outside source is luciferin, and the outside source is the catalyst luciferin, and though all reactions contain molecular oxygen.

Bioluminescent organisms are able to glow for a long period of time because the molecule involve in reaction rapidly losing and gaining energy, so releasing many photons. Different colors produced depending on wavelength of the light.

Chemical luminescence is type of luminous organs, other three types are:

1. Extra cellular luminescence.

2. Intra cellular luminescence.

3. Bacterial luminescence.

Biological Significance Of Luminous Organs:

Defensive Device

Many fishes produce sudden flash of light from the luminous organs, which help in diverting the attention of their predators. Emission of light facilitates on escape of fish by puzzling the enemy.

Recognizing Own Species

Every specie has a unique arrangement and distribution of photoreceptors on their body, which help fish to recognize specie of same type, thus help in shoaling behaviour .Also helpful in recognizing mates for courtship.

Attracting Mates

Many species use bioluminescence to attract prey by mimicking another species. Some deep-sea dwelling fish(angler fish)have an appendage containing bioluminescent bacteria, used to attract prey.

Visualization Of Prey

Some species found in ocean depths use red bioluminescence to visualize prey species that are red colored, which is typically invisible in deeper waters. In species, such as dragon fish, their eyes are insensitive to red bioluminescence they produce, instead visualizing their prey as blue green color due to presence of specialized retinal pigments.

Feeding

Bioluminescence animal use their light to lure prey toward their mouth e.g., angler fish, dragon fish.

Camouflage

In many species residing in deep water, bioluminescence is used for camouflage. This is achieved by photoreceptor in specialized light organs, which match the amount of light in environment, effectively camouflaging the organism into the background.