Light from a firefly at temperatures considerably higher and lower than normal

Abstract

Bioluminescence emissions from a few species of fireflies have been studied at different temperatures. Variations in the flash-duration have been observed and interesting conclusions drawn in those studies. Here we investigate steady-state and pulsed emissions from male specimens of the Indian species Sclerotia substriata at temperatures considerably higher and lower than the ones at which they normally flash. When the temperature is raised to 34 °C, the peak wavelength gets red-shifted and the emitted pulses become the narrowest which broaden considerably thereafter for small increases in temperature; this probably indicates denaturation of the enzyme luciferase catalyzing the light-producing reaction. When the temperature is decreased to the region of 10.5–9 °C, the peak gets blue-shifted and the flash-duration increased abnormally with large fluctuation; this possibly implies cold denaturation of the luciferase. We conclude that the first or hot effect is very likely to be the reason of the species being dark-active on hot days, and the second or cold one is the probable reason for its disappearance at the onset of the winter. Our study makes the inference that these two happenings determine the temperature-tolerance, which plays a major role in the selection of the habitat for the firefly.

REVEILLE2Thermosensitive Splicing: A Molecular Basis for the Integration of Nocturnal Temperature Information by the Arabidopsis Circadian Clock

“…3c). Since chilling to 4°C impairs luciferase activity (Rabha et al, 2021), we assessed RVE2:LUC bioluminescence following chilling to 12°C. While quantitative comparisons of luciferase activity at different temperatures are limited by the lability of the enzyme, RVE2-LUC activity increased following chilling, peaking approximately 8h after dusk (Fig.…”

REVEILLE2 thermosensitive splicing: a molecular basis for the integration of nocturnal temperature information by the Arabidopsis circadian clock

“…3b). Since chilling to 4°C impairs luciferase activity (Rabha et al, 2021), we assessed RVE2:LUC bioluminescence following chilling to 12°C. While quantitative comparisons of luciferase activity at different temperatures are limited by the lability of the enzyme, RVE2:LUC bioluminescence increased following chilling, peaking c. 8 h after dusk (Fig.…”