Edward Elric
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Collecting Luciferase
Fireflies tend to make Luciferase when they go up in the air and start to glow.
I was wondering if there was a way to kill a bunch of fireflies and collect the Luciferase that they create in their body.
Would I be able to somehow put it to a use?
P.S.
Feel free to put this into Bio-Chemistry
[Edited on 14-6-2005 by Edward Elric]
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Pyridinium
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Edward Elric
I was wondering if there was a way to kill a bunch of fireflies and collect the Luciferase that they create in their body. |
Yes. The luciferase enzyme is typically extracted by cell lysis (rupturing). Some procedures use detergent. You'd have to experiment with
detergent types and concentrations. Too little, no extraction. Too much, and your protein is ruined. Detergent concentrations are often in the
range of 0.1%.
Some procedures use ultrasound (a "sonicator", though an ultrasonic cleaner might work). Ordinary grinding is sure to free some of it, of
course.
The pH of the solution should be kept around 7.5. It seems this is where the enzyme is most stable.
I believe the latest edition of Current Protocols in Molecular Biology has the procedure for extracting luciferase.
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