How do fireflies glow?
How fireflies glow.
© American Chemical Society (A Britannica Publishing Partner)
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Transcript
NARRATOR: It's a sure sign of summer-- the blinking glow of fireflies at night. Now scientists may have solved the age-old mystery of how it happens. The secret is a molecule that's toxic to most animals, but it could lead to breakthroughs in cancer research and in combat.
For decades, scientists have had a rough idea of how fireflies glow, but they still didn't understand some of the key steps. Bruce Branchini of Connecticut College and collaborators at Yale were able to replicate the winged beetle's chemistry in the lab.
BRUCE BRANCHINI: We were able to do a number of experiments that allowed us to confirm and further the basic knowledge of how the biochemistry works.
NARRATOR: Fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms glow thanks to a compound called luciferase. But in a recent article published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Branchini reveals the role of another unexpected player.
BRANCHINI: Superoxide ion is a form of molecular oxygen that contains an extra electron. And because of that, it's a very reactive species.
NARRATOR: Humans and other animals have biological systems to protect their bodies against superoxide, which can cause inflammation and cell damage. But in the series of reactions that make fireflies glow, it's superoxide it plays the key step in making luciferase light up. Branchini explains that because the chemical process is contained and happens quickly, superoxide doesn't harm the insect. The discovery has exciting implications.
Doctors and scientists use luciferase to track biological processes as they happen. Its light can reveal where a tumor or bacteria are spreading in a living organism. Branchini says it may be possible to make marker molecules that glow brighter than others. Now Branchini is turning his research to other bioluminescent organisms like glow worms and some plankton. He's excited about the breakthrough, but he says it hasn't changed the way he looks at lightning bugs.
BRANCHINI: When we go out in the field to either observe or to collect new species, which we've done quite recently, it's beautiful. I enjoy for the beauty of the phenomenon. And I'm in awe of it and fascinated by it like everyone else.
For decades, scientists have had a rough idea of how fireflies glow, but they still didn't understand some of the key steps. Bruce Branchini of Connecticut College and collaborators at Yale were able to replicate the winged beetle's chemistry in the lab.
BRUCE BRANCHINI: We were able to do a number of experiments that allowed us to confirm and further the basic knowledge of how the biochemistry works.
NARRATOR: Fireflies and other bioluminescent organisms glow thanks to a compound called luciferase. But in a recent article published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Branchini reveals the role of another unexpected player.
BRANCHINI: Superoxide ion is a form of molecular oxygen that contains an extra electron. And because of that, it's a very reactive species.
NARRATOR: Humans and other animals have biological systems to protect their bodies against superoxide, which can cause inflammation and cell damage. But in the series of reactions that make fireflies glow, it's superoxide it plays the key step in making luciferase light up. Branchini explains that because the chemical process is contained and happens quickly, superoxide doesn't harm the insect. The discovery has exciting implications.
Doctors and scientists use luciferase to track biological processes as they happen. Its light can reveal where a tumor or bacteria are spreading in a living organism. Branchini says it may be possible to make marker molecules that glow brighter than others. Now Branchini is turning his research to other bioluminescent organisms like glow worms and some plankton. He's excited about the breakthrough, but he says it hasn't changed the way he looks at lightning bugs.
BRANCHINI: When we go out in the field to either observe or to collect new species, which we've done quite recently, it's beautiful. I enjoy for the beauty of the phenomenon. And I'm in awe of it and fascinated by it like everyone else.