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Free keywords:
diel rhythms; functional diversity; luciferase; luciferin binding protein; gene; evolution; ecology; scintillon; predation defense
Abstract:
Some dinoflagellates possess the remarkable genetic, biochemical, and cellular
machinery to produce bioluminescence. Bioluminescent species appear to be ubiquitous in
surface waters globally and include numerous cosmopolitan and harmful taxa.
Nevertheless, bioluminescence remains an enigmatic topic in biology, particularly with
regard to the organisms’ lifestyle. In this paper, we review the literature on the cellular
mechanisms, molecular evolution, diversity, and ecology of bioluminescence in
dinoflagellates, highlighting significant discoveries of the last quarter of a century. We
identify significant gaps in our knowledge and conflicting information and propose some
important research questions that need to be addressed to advance this research field.
