Genome assembly of Genji firefly (Nipponoluciola cruciata) reveals novel luciferase-like luminescent proteins without peroxisome targeting signal.

ABSTRACT: The Genji firefly, Nipponoluciola cruciata, is an aquatic firefly endemic to Japan, inhabiting a wide area of the Japanese archipelago. The luminescence of fireflies is a scientifically interesting phenomenon, and many studies have evaluated this species in Japan. In this study, we sequenced the whole genome of male N. cruciata and constructed a high-quality genome assembly of 662 Mb with a BUSCO completeness of 99.1% in the genome mode. Using the detected set of 15,169 protein-coding genes, the genomic structures and genetic background of luminescence-related genes were also investigated. We found four new firefly luciferase-like genes in the genome. The highest bioluminescent activity was observed for LLa2, which originated from ancestral PDGY, a mitochondrial acyl-CoA synthetase. A thio

SUBMITTER: Fukuta K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11090084 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature