Protein Cell 2011, 2(12): 957–972 Protein & Cell DOI 10.1007/s13238-011-1118-y REVIEW Protein-protein complexation in bioluminescence ✉ Maxim S. Titushin1, Yingang Feng2, John Lee3, Eugene S. Vysotski4, Zhi-Jie Liu1 1 National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 2 Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China 3 Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA 4 Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Biophysics Russian Academy of Sciences, Siberian Branch, Krasnoyarsk 660036, Russia ✉ Correspondence:
[email protected] Received October 23, 2011 Accepted November 7, 2011 ABSTRACT INTRODUCTION In this review we summarize the progress made towards Living organisms capable of emitting light have been known understanding the role of protein-protein interactions in to mankind since ancient times (Harvey, 1952; Lee, 2008). the function of various bioluminescence systems of Bioluminescent organisms such as bacteria, fireflies, jellyfish, marine organisms, including bacteria, jellyfish and soft worms, fungi, and fish, are widely dispersed on the corals, with particular focus on methodology used to phylogenetic tree, with a vast majority of species being detect and characterize these interactions. In some marine inhabitants. Believed to emerge “independently” many bioluminescence systems, protein-protein interactions times during evolution, bioluminescence serves vital func- involve an “accessory protein” whereby a stored sub- tions ranging from defense to reproduction, yet in many cases strate is efficiently delivered to the bioluminescent its survival value remains a puzzle (Haddock et al., 2010). enzyme luciferase. Other types of complexation mediate The bioluminescence is an enzymatic reaction, where an energy transfer to an “antenna protein” altering the color enzyme, generically referred to as luciferase, catalyzes and quantum yield of a bioluminescence reaction.