The most promising
applications of bioluminescence are in the medical field. The high
detectability and rapidity of bioluminescence provides the ability to
continuously monitor biological processes such as gene expression and disease
progression. Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) has emerged as a
powerful new method to analyze infectious diseases in a non-invasive way and
its application has increased tremendously in the
past decade. It has contributed significantly to advances in biomedical
research in the fields of immunology, oncology, virology, and neuroscience.
Luciferase systems are widely used in the field of
genetic engineering as reporter genes. Genetic reporter systems
have contributed greatly to the study of eukaryotic gene expression and regulation.
Reporter genes are most frequently used as indicators of transcriptional
activity in cells. Typically, a reporter gene is joined to a promoter sequence
in an expression vector that is transferred into cells. Following the transfer,
cells are assayed for the presence of the reporter by directly measuring the
reporter protein itself or the enzymatic activity of the reporter protein.
Bacterial
bioluminescence can be used to test for a specific bacterial species or
possible food- borne pathogens such as salmonella. The lux gene,
responsible for bacterial bioluminescence, has been isolated and cloned. The
cloned lux gene can be injected into a host-specific phage, which does
not have the ability to express the gene. If the phage infects a host bacterium,
light emission results. Water quality is
tested by employing the bioluminescent marine
bacteria Vibrio fischeri. When this organism is challenged by a toxin,
the respiration pathway is disrupted, resulting in a decrease in bioluminescent
intensity.
Scientists are researching other “fun” and practical applications
of bioluminescence. Some proposed applications of engineered bioluminescence
include glowing trees to line highways to save government electricity bills,
Christmas trees that do not need lights, thereby reducing danger from
electrical fires, and agricultural crops and domestic plants that luminesce
when they need watering.