Glowing fungi expose final enzyme that could make bioluminescent tools more efficient

Like fireflies and many deep-sea creatures, some fungi can naturally emit light via bioluminescence pathways in which specialized enzymes convert chemical energy into visible light. Medical researchers have used light-producing fungal enzymes in the fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP) to visually track processes such as tumor progression and inflammatory responses. New research published in The FEBS Journal provides information that could help improve and expand these bioluminescence-based tools and applications.