| emission
peak |
blue-green (∼480–500 nm) |
green (∼520 nm) |
,
|
| quantum yield |
∼0.1–0.2 photons
per reaction |
estimated similar or slightly lower (exact
QY not yet established) |
,
|
| genetic components |
luxCDABE operon ± luxG/frp; 5–6 genes |
HispS, H3H, Luz, CPH ± NPGA; 4–5 genes |
,,
|
| substrate biosynthesis |
requires FMNH2 and long-chain fatty aldehyde (e.g., tetradecanal) |
requires 3-hydroxyhispidin (from
caffeic acid via shikimate pathway) |
,
|
| endogenous substrate
availability |
complete pathway in bacteria; in eukaryotes
requires FMNH2 supplementation (Frp) |
in plants:
caffeic acid via native pathway; in bacteria/mammals: needs supplementation |
,
|
| brightness in native
host |
moderate; improved variants (ilux, co Lux)
increase brightness |
high in plants; low in bacteria/mammals without supplementation |
,,
|
| host range (demonstrated) |
bacteria, mammalian cells, C. elegans, plants, transgenic mice |
plants (e.g., N. benthamiana
, Arabidopsis), limited in bacteria/mammals |
,,,
|
| color tunability |
active-site mutations, BRET
with FPs, substrate analogs |
primarily via luciferin
analogs; limited protein engineering |
,
|
| strengths |
fully genetically encoded in bacteria; multicolor (NLX); ratiometric
biosensing possible |
bright, sustained luminescence in
plants; compatible with visible
imaging |
,
|
| limitations |
low brightness
in eukaryotes; metabolic burden; limited red-shift |
substrate limitation in nonplants; lack of structural
data;
few ratiometric tools |
,
|
| key recent advances |
codon
optimization (co Lux), high-brightness mutants (ilux2), multicolor NLX |
pathway
elucidation, substrate analog–based color variants, C3H overexpression in plants |
,,,,
|
