Biomaterial Database

Evidence of luminous bacterial symbionts in the light organs of myctophid and stomiiform fishes. 1991

D Foran

Department of Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor 48109.

The myctophids and stomiiforms represent two common groups of luminous fishes, but the source of luminescence in these animals has remained undetermined. In this study, labeled luciferase gene fragments from luminous marine bacteria were used to probe DNA isolated from specific fish tissues. A positive signal was obtained from skin DNA in all luminous fishes examined, whereas muscle DNA gave a weaker signal and brain DNA was negative. This observation is consistent with luminous bacteria acting as the light source in myctophids and stomiiforms and argues against the genes necessary for luminescence residing on the fish chromosomes. To confirm the location of this signal, a bacterial probe was hybridized in situ to sections of a stomiiform. A strong signal was generated directly over specific regions of the fish light organs, whereas no signal was found over other internal or epidermal tissues of the fish. Taken together, these data provide the first indication that luminous bacterial symbionts exist in myctophids and stomiiforms and that these symbionts account for luminescence in these fishes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008156	Luciferases	Enzymes that oxidize certain LUMINESCENT AGENTS to emit light (PHYSICAL LUMINESCENCE). The luciferases from different organisms have evolved differently so have different structures and substrates.	Luciferase
D008163	Luminescent Measurements	Techniques used for determining the values of photometric parameters of light resulting from LUMINESCENCE.	Bioluminescence Measurements,Bioluminescent Assays,Bioluminescent Measurements,Chemiluminescence Measurements,Chemiluminescent Assays,Chemiluminescent Measurements,Chemoluminescence Measurements,Luminescence Measurements,Luminescent Assays,Luminescent Techniques,Phosphorescence Measurements,Phosphorescent Assays,Phosphorescent Measurements,Assay, Bioluminescent,Assay, Chemiluminescent,Assay, Luminescent,Assay, Phosphorescent,Assays, Bioluminescent,Assays, Chemiluminescent,Assays, Luminescent,Assays, Phosphorescent,Bioluminescence Measurement,Bioluminescent Assay,Bioluminescent Measurement,Chemiluminescence Measurement,Chemiluminescent Assay,Chemiluminescent Measurement,Chemoluminescence Measurement,Luminescence Measurement,Luminescent Assay,Luminescent Measurement,Luminescent Technique,Measurement, Bioluminescence,Measurement, Bioluminescent,Measurement, Chemiluminescence,Measurement, Chemiluminescent,Measurement, Chemoluminescence,Measurement, Luminescence,Measurement, Luminescent,Measurement, Phosphorescence,Measurement, Phosphorescent,Measurements, Bioluminescence,Measurements, Bioluminescent,Measurements, Chemiluminescence,Measurements, Chemiluminescent,Measurements, Chemoluminescence,Measurements, Luminescence,Measurements, Luminescent,Measurements, Phosphorescence,Measurements, Phosphorescent,Phosphorescence Measurement,Phosphorescent Assay,Phosphorescent Measurement,Technique, Luminescent,Techniques, Luminescent
D009132	Muscles	Contractile tissue that produces movement in animals.	Muscle Tissue,Muscle,Muscle Tissues,Tissue, Muscle,Tissues, Muscle
D009693	Nucleic Acid Hybridization	Widely used technique which exploits the ability of complementary sequences in single-stranded DNAs or RNAs to pair with each other to form a double helix. Hybridization can take place between two complimentary DNA sequences, between a single-stranded DNA and a complementary RNA, or between two RNA sequences. The technique is used to detect and isolate specific sequences, measure homology, or define other characteristics of one or both strands. (Kendrew, Encyclopedia of Molecular Biology, 1994, p503)	Genomic Hybridization,Acid Hybridization, Nucleic,Acid Hybridizations, Nucleic,Genomic Hybridizations,Hybridization, Genomic,Hybridization, Nucleic Acid,Hybridizations, Genomic,Hybridizations, Nucleic Acid,Nucleic Acid Hybridizations
D001921	Brain	The part of CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM that is contained within the skull (CRANIUM). Arising from the NEURAL TUBE, the embryonic brain is comprised of three major parts including PROSENCEPHALON (the forebrain); MESENCEPHALON (the midbrain); and RHOMBENCEPHALON (the hindbrain). The developed brain consists of CEREBRUM; CEREBELLUM; and other structures in the BRAIN STEM.	Encephalon
D003001	Cloning, Molecular	The insertion of recombinant DNA molecules from prokaryotic and/or eukaryotic sources into a replicating vehicle, such as a plasmid or virus vector, and the introduction of the resultant hybrid molecules into recipient cells without altering the viability of those cells.	Molecular Cloning
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D005399	Fishes	A group of cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates having gills, fins, a cartilaginous or bony endoskeleton, and elongated bodies covered with scales.
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D001419	Bacteria	One of the three domains of life (the others being Eukarya and ARCHAEA), also called Eubacteria. They are unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms which generally possess rigid cell walls, multiply by cell division, and exhibit three principal forms: round or coccal, rodlike or bacillary, and spiral or spirochetal. Bacteria can be classified by their response to OXYGEN: aerobic, anaerobic, or facultatively anaerobic; by the mode by which they obtain their energy: chemotrophy (via chemical reaction) or PHOTOTROPHY (via light reaction); for chemotrophs by their source of chemical energy: CHEMOLITHOTROPHY (from inorganic compounds) or chemoorganotrophy (from organic compounds); and by their source for CARBON; NITROGEN; etc.; HETEROTROPHY (from organic sources) or AUTOTROPHY (from CARBON DIOXIDE). They can also be classified by whether or not they stain (based on the structure of their CELL WALLS) with CRYSTAL VIOLET dye: gram-negative or gram-positive.	Eubacteria