2. Introduction
Bioluminescence
• The emission of non-heated
light produced by living
organisms because of luciferin
–reacts to oxygen to produce
light- and luciferase– speeds
up the process. The oxygen is
used to break organic material
releasing CO2 and light.
• It occurs mostly in deep-sea
organisms, but also in some
fungi, bacteria and insects.
Photosynthesis
• The transformation of light
energy and CO2 to make
organic material and liberate
oxygen.
• The process starts in the
stroma and in the thylakoids of
the chloroplasts of a cell of a
plant or other autotrophs.
• The cycle ends when a
molecule of G3P (triose
phosphate) transforms and
produces a sugar.
3. Process of Bioluminescence
The reaction involves the following elements:
– Enzymes (Luciferase) - biological catalysts that accelerate and control
the rate of chemical reactions in cells.
– Photons - packs of light energy.
– ATP - adenosine triphosphate, the energy storing molecule of all living
organisms.
– Substrate (Luciferin) - a specific molecule that undergoes a chemical
charge when affixed by an enzyme.
– Oxygen - as a catalyst
A simplified formula of the bioluminescent reaction:
ATP(energy) + Luciferin (substrate)+ Luciferase(enzyme) + O2(oxidizer) = light (photons)
4. Abstract
• Present evidence of energy transferring from
bioluminescent organisms to any other
photosynthetic source.
• Develop new ways of using chemical based
energy without further mayor consequences.
• Obtaining, observing and studying the
interactions and behaviors between samples
of bioluminescent and photosynthetic
organisms.
5. Hypothesis
• Demonstrate that the light emitted from a
bioluminescent organism is absorbed and
processed normally by a photosynthetic
organism.
• Prove that the inverse processes of
bioluminescence and photosynthesis can
occur on a same organism not related with
both adaptations at once.
6. Aims
• Manage to integrate two relative processes in
spite their inverse tendencies.
• Deepen the study of the bioluminescent and
photosynthetic nature.
• Understand the behavior of these organisms
in different stages and phases.
• Notice differences in Dinoflagellates that are
exposed to bioluminescent emissions and the
ones that are not.
7. Background
Bioluminescence is an adaptation
that some organisms obtain from
the absence of light in their
environment. These creatures had
to develop ways to adjust their
process of producing energy.
Puerto Rico has the three most
brilliant “bio bays” of the five that
there are in the world. This island
has enough ecosystems with
bioluminescent presence to study
the diversity it hides in comparison.
8. Methodology
• Visit various “bio bays” and take samples of
water with bioluminescent and non-
bioluminescent or photosynthetic presence
(Dinoflagellates).
• Gather the samples into different
environments and observe which adaptation
is dominant over the other, jointed and
separated respectively.
9. • Positive Control:
– Bioluminescent and non-bioluminescent samples
together.
• Negative Control:
– Both samples observed separately.
Each group will be analyzed in three different
areas depending on the light exposure:
• Complete dark
• Outside dark exposure
• Intermittent daylight exposure
10. Expected Results
• The expected results are that the
photosynthetic source will obtain enough light
energy from the bioluminescent source and
would be able to use that energy to synthesize
their organic material.
• The bioluminescent source in turn will
supplement itself with the oxygen liberated in
the photosynthetic process of the non-
bioluminescent organisms.
11. Future Studies
• Deepen the study of luciferin and lucferase
components to prove that it can be
manipulated to non-bioluminescent
organisms.
