BACTERIAL LUMINESCENCE Meaning and
Definition
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Bacterial luminescence refers to the phenomenon in which certain bacteria emit light spontaneously or upon stimulation. It is a unique form of bioluminescence exhibited by various bacteria species. Bioluminescence is the production and emission of light by living organisms, which is typically generated through a chemical reaction involving the enzyme luciferase and a light-emitting substrate.
In the case of bacterial luminescence, the luciferase enzyme catalyzes the oxidation of a light-emitting molecule called a substrate. This oxidation process results in the release of energy in the form of light. The specific substrate used by different luminescent bacterial species can vary, leading to variations in the color and intensity of the emitted light.
Bacterial luminescence has been observed in several marine bacteria, such as Vibrio fischeri and Photobacterium phosphoreum, which occupy symbiotic relationships with certain marine animals. These bacteria produce light as a means of communication, defense, or attracting prey. For example, some deep-sea bacteria use luminescence to attract small organisms towards them, which they can then consume.
The study of bacterial luminescence has led to various applications in research, biotechnology, and environmental monitoring. This includes the development of genetically modified luminescent bacteria for laboratory experiments, the detection of contaminants in food and water samples, and the use of bioluminescence as a reporter system for studying gene expression and protein production in living organisms.
Common Misspellings for BACTERIAL LUMINESCENCE
- vacterial luminescence
- nacterial luminescence
- hacterial luminescence
- gacterial luminescence
- bzcterial luminescence
- bscterial luminescence
- bwcterial luminescence
- bqcterial luminescence
- baxterial luminescence
- bavterial luminescence
- bafterial luminescence
- badterial luminescence
- bacrerial luminescence
- bacferial luminescence
- bacgerial luminescence
- bacyerial luminescence
- bac6erial luminescence
- bac5erial luminescence
- bactwrial luminescence
- bactsrial luminescence
Etymology of BACTERIAL LUMINESCENCE
The term "bacterial luminescence" is a combination of the words "bacterial" and "luminescence". Here is the etymology of both words:
1. Bacterial: The word "bacterial" refers to something related to bacteria. It can be traced back to the late 19th century from the word "bacterium", which is derived from the Greek word "bakterion", meaning a small rod or staff. This is further derived from the Greek word "bakteria", meaning a small staff or cane.
2. Luminescence: The word "luminescence" comes from the Latin word "luminare", meaning "to light up". It was coined in the early 20th century as a combination of the Latin word "lumen", meaning light, and the suffix "-escence", indicating a state or process.
Idioms with the word BACTERIAL LUMINESCENCE
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