Understanding and using fungal bioluminescence - Recent progress and future perspectives

Bioluminescence is the emission of light by a luciferin/luciferase chemical reaction within living organisms. There are 40 bioluminescent systems known across the tree of life, but only a handful are characterized. While most research has been conducted on bacterial and firefly systems, other bioluminescent organisms, like fungi, use different molecule pairings and biochemistries, which can be exploited for various applications. This review covers the current understanding of fungal bioluminescence diversity, evolution, and applications. We highlight studies from the past five years, which give extensive evidence that all known bioluminescent fungal lineages share one bioluminescence pathway that was successfully reconstituted in multiple plant species; finally, we outline the potential opportunities made available to sustainability.

Automated summary

This review summarizes the current understanding of fungal bioluminescence diversity, evolution, and applications. Studies from the past five years provide extensive evidence that all known bioluminescent fungal lineages share one bioluminescence pathway, which has been successfully reconstructed in multiple plant species, offering potential opportunities for sustainability.