Coelenteramide
Encyclopedia
Coelenteramide is the oxidized product, or oxyluciferin, of the bioluminescent
reactions in many marine organisms that utilize coelenterazine
. It was first isolated as a blue fluorescent
compound from Aequorea victoria
after the animals were stimulated to emit light. Under basic conditions, the compound will break down further into coelenteramine
and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid
.
It is an aminopyrazine.
Bioluminescence
Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by a living organism. Its name is a hybrid word, originating from the Greek bios for "living" and the Latin lumen "light". Bioluminescence is a naturally occurring form of chemiluminescence where energy is released by a chemical reaction in...
reactions in many marine organisms that utilize coelenterazine
Coelenterazine
Coelenterazine is the luciferin, the light-emitting molecule, found in many aquatic organisms across seven phyla. It is the substrate in many luciferases and photoproteins including Renilla reniformis luciferase , Gaussia luciferase , aequorin, and obelin.-History:Coelenterazine was simultaneously...
. It was first isolated as a blue fluorescent
Fluorescence
Fluorescence is the emission of light by a substance that has absorbed light or other electromagnetic radiation of a different wavelength. It is a form of luminescence. In most cases, emitted light has a longer wavelength, and therefore lower energy, than the absorbed radiation...
compound from Aequorea victoria
Aequorea victoria
Aequorea victoria, also sometimes called the crystal jelly, is a bioluminescent hydrozoan jellyfish, or hydromedusa, that is found off the west coast of North America. This species is thought to be synonymous with Aequorea aequorea of Osamu Shimomura, the discoverer of green fluorescent protein . ...
after the animals were stimulated to emit light. Under basic conditions, the compound will break down further into coelenteramine
Coelenteramine
Coelenteramine is a metabolic product of the bioluminescent reactions in organisms that utilize coelenterazine. It was first isolated from Aequorea victoria along with coelenteramide after coelenterates were stimulated to emit light....
and 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid
Phenylacetic acid
Phenylacetic acid is an organic compound containing a phenyl functional group and a carboxylic acid functional group. It is a white solid with a disagreeable odor...
.
It is an aminopyrazine.