Characterizing the Bioluminescence of the Humboldt Squid, Dosidicus gigas (d'Orbigny, 1835): One of the Largest Luminescent Animals in the World

Galeazzo G.A.; Mirza J.D.; Dorr F.A.; Pinto E.; Stevani C.V.; Lohrmann K.B.; Oliveira A.G.

Abstract

Bioluminescence is found in a number of cephalopods, such as Watasenia scintillans and Sthenoteuthis oualaniensis; however, many species remain poorly studied, including the Humboldt squid, Dosidicus gigas. This is the largest member of the Ommastrephidae family and grows to 2 m in length, making it one of the largest luminescent animals ever observed. Humboldt squid have small photophores all over their body that emit a brilliant blue luminescence. Using lyophilized photophores from squid caught off the coast of Chile, experiments were conducted to isolate the luciferin and protein involved in its bioluminescence. Methanolic extracts of the photophores were shown to contain dehydrocoelenterazine, and a membrane-bound photoprotein was shown to be involved. This photoprotein was purified using ion exchange chromatography, and SDS-PAGE showed a clean band of approximately 60 kDa. The excised band was analyzed by LC/MS, and the obtained data were compared against the transcriptome data of D. gigas, allowing us to find two gene products which displayed high coverage (>80%), the enzymes symplectin and vanin-2, which potentially associate with light emission process in this organism. Finally, the purified photoprotein was shown to emit a blue light (470 nm) in the presence of dehydrocoelenterazine.

Más información

Título según WOS: Characterizing the Bioluminescence of the Humboldt Squid, Dosidicus gigas (d'Orbigny, 1835): One of the Largest Luminescent Animals in the World
Título según SCOPUS: Characterizing the Bioluminescence of the Humboldt Squid, Dosidicus gigas (d'Orbigny, 1835): One of the Largest Luminescent Animals in the World
Título de la Revista: PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY
Volumen: 95
Número: 5
Editorial: WILEY-BLACKWELL
Fecha de publicación: 2019
Página de inicio: 1179
Página final: 1185
Idioma: English
DOI:

10.1111/php.13106

Notas: ISI, SCOPUS