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3239879 
Journal Article 
Firefly luciferin as antioxidant and light emitter: the evolution of insect bioluminescence 
Dubuisson, M; Marchand, C; Rees, JF 
2004 
1 
Luminescence
ISSN: 1522-7235
EISSN: 1522-7243 
19 
6 
339-344 
WOS:000226060200005 
Insects are the main group with luminescent species among
terrestrial animals. In this paper, we report that firefly luciferin is endowed with antioxidant
properties against oxidative and nitrosative stress. The luciferin reduces linoleate peroxidation
in acellular tests and increases the viability of mammalian cells exposed to the oxidant tert-
butyl hydroperoxide. Dehydrorhodamine-based tests indicate that firefly luciferin also scavenges
peroxynitrite, whereas parallel tests on cells showed a marked protection of cells subjected to
the peroxynitrite generator SIN-1. Together, these results suggest that firefly luciferin's
antioxidant properties could help photocytes coping with the hyperoxidant conditions to which
they are submitted during luminous emissions. These data could also suggest that the evolutionary
foundation of the bioluminescent system could have been the luciferin, and not the luciferase,
first serving as a scavenger of oxidants toxic to the cells, then as a light emitting substrate
for luciferase precursors. Similarities with the evolutionary scenario proposed for marine
bioluminescent organisms relying on coelenterazine suggest that the surprisingly high success
rate observed in the independent emergence of bioluminescent animals could reflect the ease of
transformation of antioxidant mechanisms into light-producing systems. Copyright (C) 2004 John
Wiley Sons, Ltd. 
firefly; luciferin; antioxidant; oxidative stress; peroxynitrite