Fireflies glowing in a dark forest provide a captivating example of the luciferase-catalyzed bioluminescent reaction, which has been harnessed as a powerful research tool.
| 9 min read
Luciferase refers to a group of bioluminescence producing enzymes that enable researchers to study gene expression and regulation.

bioluminescence

Colorized satellite image of milky sea

Milky Seas Can Be Spotted from Space

Fireflies lighting up a tree at night

Firefly Tourism Sparks Calls for Sustainable Practices

a photo of fish swimming

Fish Steals Bioluminescence from Prey

Flashlight fish

Image of the Day: Flashlight Fish

Image of the Day: Light Show

Image of the Day: Breathe In

Image of the Day: Fire Alarm

Image of the Day: Glowing Tide

Image of the Day: Inner Glow

Starfish in the Deep Sea Can See

Image of the Day: Plant Bulbs 

Image of the Day: Psychedelic Symbiosis

Transgenic Mouse Illuminates Melanoma Metastasis

Image of the Day: Root Rave 

Image of the Day: Night Lights

Evolution of Fish Bioluminescence

Picturing Infection

Bioluminescence Researcher Dies

Flashy Deep Sea Fish

Sharks Glow to Frighten Predators

Trending

Adélie penguin family

Penguins Are Among the World’s Slowest-Evolving Birds: Study

Photo of John Calhoun crouches within his rodent utopia-turned-dystopia

Universe 25 Experiment

Image of futuristic technology such as artificial intelligence with a graphic of a robotic bird against a blue background.

An AI-Powered Scientist Proposes a Treatment for Blindness

A group of newborn mice with their mother.

Maternal Iron Deficiency Can Trigger Sex Reversal in Mouse Embryos

Multimedia

Conceptual 3D illustration of mycoplasma colonies

Taking Control of Cellular Contamination with PCR Testing

sartorius logo
Conceptual image of gene sequencing showing multicolored bands in a spiral arrangement on a black background.

Rare Disease Research Gets a Boost from Automated NGS Solutions

agilent technologies logo
Image of small blue creatures called Nergals. Some have hearts above their heads, which signify friendship. There is one Nergal who is sneezing and losing health, which is denoted by minus one signs floating around it.
June 2025, Issue 1

Nergal Networks: Where Friendship Meets Infection

A citizen science game explores how social choices and networks can influence how an illness moves through a population.

View this Issue
Unraveling Complex Biology with Advanced Multiomics Technology

Unraveling Complex Biology with Five-Dimensional Multiomics

Element Bioscience Logo
Resurrecting Plant Defense Mechanisms to Avoid Crop Pathogens

Resurrecting Plant Defense Mechanisms to Avoid Crop Pathogens

Twist Bio 
The Scientist Placeholder Image

Seeing and Sorting with Confidence

BD
The Scientist Placeholder Image

Streamlining Microbial Quality Control Testing

MicroQuant™ by ATCC logo

Products

The Scientist Placeholder Image

Agilent Unveils the Next Generation in LC-Mass Detection: The InfinityLab Pro iQ Series

parse-biosciences-logo

Pioneering Cancer Plasticity Atlas will help Predict Response to Cancer Therapies

waters-logo

How Alderley Analytical are Delivering eXtreme Robustness in Bioanalysis