luciferase
noun
lu·cif·er·ase
lü-ˈsi-fə-ˌrās 
-ˌrāz
: an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin
Examples of luciferase in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The process requires not only the synthesis of specialized chemicals like luciferin and luciferase but also the energy to fuel the light-producing reaction.
—
Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Bioluminescence is produced naturally when oxygen reacts with a substance called luciferin, with the help of an enzyme called luciferase, to produce energy in the form of light.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Most bioluminescent organisms, including fireflies, get their glow from a chemical reaction between the enzyme luciferase and a molecule called luciferin.
—Leah Shaffer, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2015
Oxygen combines with chemicals called luciferin and luciferase to generate light with almost no heat.
—USA Today, 2 June 2023
Most deep-sea anglerfish lures glow with light that is generated by an enzyme called luciferase.
—Jocelyn Rice, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2010
One is a large enzyme called luciferase.
—Jason Bittel, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2020
Scientists have tried to re-create the effect in plants before: In the 1980s, researchers added a firefly’s luciferase gene into tobacco plant cells.
—Leah Shaffer, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2015
Virus-like particles are constructed only to contain specific proteins, allowing isolated testing of viral characteristics such as replication using luciferase enzymes to measure results.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022
Scott Travers, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024
Bioluminescence is produced naturally when oxygen reacts with a substance called luciferin, with the help of an enzyme called luciferase, to produce energy in the form of light.
—WIRED, 19 Sep. 2023
Most bioluminescent organisms, including fireflies, get their glow from a chemical reaction between the enzyme luciferase and a molecule called luciferin.
—Leah Shaffer, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2015
Oxygen combines with chemicals called luciferin and luciferase to generate light with almost no heat.
—USA Today, 2 June 2023
Most deep-sea anglerfish lures glow with light that is generated by an enzyme called luciferase.
—Jocelyn Rice, Discover Magazine, 27 Sep. 2010
One is a large enzyme called luciferase.
—Jason Bittel, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2020
Scientists have tried to re-create the effect in plants before: In the 1980s, researchers added a firefly’s luciferase gene into tobacco plant cells.
—Leah Shaffer, Discover Magazine, 21 Jan. 2015
Virus-like particles are constructed only to contain specific proteins, allowing isolated testing of viral characteristics such as replication using luciferase enzymes to measure results.
—William A. Haseltine, Forbes, 25 Aug. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'luciferase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to luciferase
Dictionary Entries Near luciferase
Cite this Entry
“Luciferase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/luciferase. Accessed 26 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
luciferase
noun
lu·cif·er·ase
lü-ˈsif-ə-ˌrās, -ˌrāz
: an enzyme that catalyzes the oxidation of luciferin
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share