Aequorin [SEP] found in taxon
Aequorin
Aequorin is a calcium-activated photoprotein isolated from the hydrozoan "Aequorea victoria". Though the bioluminescence was studied decades before, the protein was originally isolated from the animal by Osamu Shimomura. In the animals, the protein occurs together with the green fluorescent protein to produce green light by resonant energy transfer, while aequorin by itself generates blue light.
Discussions of "jellyfish DNA" to make "glowing" animals often refer to transgenic animals which express the green fluorescent protein, not aequorin, although both originally derived
cases of cannibalism. Many larger specimens are found with the parasitic hyperiid amphipod "Hyperia medusarum" attached to the either the subumbrella or exumbrella; these amphipods may burrow into the jelly, but such activities are not lethal to the jellyfish.
Luminescence.
This jellyfish is capable of producing flashes of blue light by a quick release of calcium (Ca) which interacts with the photoprotein aequorin. The blue light produced is in turn transduced to green by the now famous green fluorescent protein (GFP). Both aequorin and GFP