Question

Coelenterazine is used in a reaction with a Luciferase enzyme, to form Coelenteramide. A single carbon has been removed from Coelenterazine to from Coelenteramide. How would you go about converting Coelenteramide back into its original form for reuse?

Answer 1

The substrate of Renilla luciferase, coelenterazine, consists of a central aromatic imidazopyrazinone, which is derivatized with p-hydroxy-phenyl (R1), benzyl (R2), and p-hydroxy-benzyl (R3) moieties. Using molecular oxygen, RLUC catalyzes an oxidative decarboxylation in which the imidazole ring is opened and carbon dioxide is released