Bioluminescence, or the production of light by living organisms via chemical reaction, is widespread across Metazoa. Laboratory culture of bioluminescent organisms from diverse taxonomic groups is important for determining the biosynthetic pathways of bioluminescent substrates, which may lead to new tools for biotechnology and biomedicine. Some bioluminescent groups may be cultured, including some cnidarians, ctenophores, and brittle stars, but those use luminescent substrates (luciferins) obtained from their diets, and therefore are not informative for determination of the biosynthetic pathways of the luciferins. Other groups, including terrestrial fireflies, do synthesize their own luciferin, but culturing them is difficult and the biosynthetic pathway for firefly luciferin remains unclear. An additional independent origin of endogenous bioluminescence is found within ostracods from the family Cypridinidae, which use their luminescence for defense and, in Caribbean species, for courtship displays. Here, we report the first complete life cycle of a luminous ostracod (Vargula tsujii Kornicker & Baker, 1977, the California Sea Firefly) in the laboratory. We also describe the late-stage embryogenesis of Vargula tsujii and discuss the size classes of instar development. We find embryogenesis in V. tsujii ranges from 25–38 days, and this species appears to have five instar stages, consistent with ontogeny in other cypridinid lineages. We estimate a complete life cycle at 3–4 months. We also present the first complete mitochondrial genome for Vargula tsujii. Bringing a luminous ostracod into laboratory culture sets the stage for many potential avenues of study, including learning the biosynthetic pathway of cypridinid luciferin and genomic manipulation of an autogenic bioluminescent system.
27Bioluminescence, or the production of light by living organisms via chemical reaction, is 28 widespread across Metazoa. Culturing bioluminescent organisms from diverse taxonomic 29 groups is important for determining the biosynthetic pathways of bioluminescent substrates, 30 which may lead to new tools for biotechnology and biomedicine. Although some previously 31 cultured luminescent groups represent independent origins of bioluminescence, cnidarians, 32 ctenophores, and brittle stars use luminescent substrates (luciferins) obtained from their diets, 33 and therefore are not informative for determination of the biosynthethic pathways of the 34 luciferins. Terrestrial fireflies do synthesize their own luciferin, but the biosynthetic pathway for 35 firefly luciferin remains unclear. An additional independent origin of endogenous 36 bioluminescence is found within ostracods from the family Cypridinidae, which use their 37 luminescence for defense and, in Caribbean species, for courtship displays. Here, we report the 38 first complete life cycle of a luminous ostracod (Vargula tsujii, the California Sea Firefly) in the 39 laboratory. We also describe the embryonic development of Vargula tsujii and discuss the size 40 classes of instar development. We find embryogenesis in V. tsujii ranges between 25-38 days, 41 and this species appears to have five instar stages, consistent with ontogeny in other cypridinid 42 lineages. We estimate a complete life cycle at 3-4 months. We present the first complete 43 mitochondrial genome for Vargula tsujii. Finally, we find no evidence of significant population 44 genetic structure or cryptic species throughout the southern California range of V. tsujii. Bringing 45 a luminous ostracod into laboratory culture sets the stage for many potential avenues of study, 46including the biosynthetic pathway of cypridinid luciferin and genomic manipulation of an 47 autogenic bioluminescent system. 48 49
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