Nagoya University · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
Professor Manabu Bessho-Uehara's research lab specializes in the molecular and biochemical mechanisms of bioluminescence across diverse marine and terrestrial organisms. The lab investigates the ecological roles, evolutionary origins, and metabolic pathways of bioluminescent systems, with a particular focus on coelenterazine metabolism, luciferase diversity, and dietary acquisition of luminescent compounds. Key research directions include the discovery of novel bioluminescent species, especially in deep-sea and soil ecosystems, and the identification of biosynthetic sources of luciferins and luciferases in nature. The lab employs integrative approaches combining biochemistry, molecular biology, and environmental sampling to uncover the hidden diversity and ecological significance of bioluminescence in understudied invertebrate lineages.
Figures are computed from collected data and may differ slightly.
Through their diet, animals can obtain substances essential for imparting special characteristics, such as toxins in monarch butterflies and luminescent substances in jellyfishes. These substances are typically small molecules because they are less likely to be digested and may be hard for the consumer to biosynthesize. Here, we report that <i>Parapriacanthus ransonneti</i>, a bioluminescent fish, obtains not only its luciferin but also its luciferase enzyme from bioluminescent ostracod prey. Th
Abstract Bioluminescence, light produced by living organisms, is a common trait in the ocean. In benthic ecosystems in the deep-sea, octocorals are some of the most abundant luminous animals. Among luminous sessile organisms, the shallow-water sea pansy Renilla has been well studied for its chemistry and molecular biology. Aside from Renilla , however, little is known about the bioluminescent mechanisms of other anthozoans, especially deep-sea corals. In this study, we investigated the character
Coelenterazine is a key substrate involved in marine bioluminescence which is used for light-production by at least nine phyla. Some luminous animals, such as the hydromedusa <i>Aequorea</i>, lack the ability to produce coelenterazine endogenously and instead depend on dietary sources. Little is known about the source organisms or the metabolic process of coelenterazine biosynthesis. Here, we present evidence that ctenophores are both producers and suppliers of coelenterazine in marine ecosystem
Nocturnal Japanese fireflies, Luciola parvula, emit from their lanterns a yellow light, one of the most red-shifted colors found among fireflies. Previously, we isolated and characterized two different types of luciferase gene, Luc1 and Luc2, from the fireflies Luciola cruciata and Luciola lateralis; Luc1 is responsible for the green-yellow luminescence of larval and adult lanterns, whereas Luc2 is responsible for the dim greenish glow of eggs and pupal bodies. The biological role of firefly lan
The phylum Annelida encompasses a diverse group of animals, with bioluminescent species documented in 14 families. Despite this diversity and the scattered distribution of bioluminescent lineages, little is known about the molecular biology, chemistry, morphology, ecology, and evolution of bioluminescence in annelids. During a deep-sea exploration off Minamidaito Island in the western Pacific Ocean, we discovered that Aricidea sp. emits green light when stimulated. The specimens were identified
Bioluminescence plays important roles among animals in both intra- and inter-species communication. A variety of bioluminescent organisms inhabit soil environments, even in areas where light penetration is minimal. However, due to the lack of a model system to study underground bioluminescence, the biology and molecular mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain largely unknown. Springtails (Collembola) are representative soil animals, and we recently identified Lobella sauteri (Neanuridae) as
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