Phylogeny: The evolutionary relationships between organisms

Where did bioluminescence come from?

Bioluminescence is a phenomenon that is believed to have evolved independently at least 40, and more likely more than 50 times among organisms. Because it has evolved independently so many times, it is believed to be a relatively easy development. It also implies that its development is relatively important to many organisms. Since colenterazine and other luciferins are readily available in prey, an organism needs only to develop a luciferase in order to produce light.

A more technical look

Based on the necessity of oxygen in many light producing reactions, and the strong antioxidant properties of many light producing molecules, bioluminescence may have evolved as a byproduct of the harnessing of reactive oxygen radicals, or as a method to deal with reactive oxygen species (Haddock et al 2010, Rees et al. 2008) Despite the use of colenterazine photoprotein systems in many phyla, and its appearance in many non-luminous organisms as well, there has been little experimental evidence to indicate the origins of the molecule, and no evidence to indicate the origin within the phylum Cnidaria. Jellies possess the gene for their photoprotein, however lack a mechanism to produce colenterazine and must obtain the molecule through their diet (Haddock et al, 2001). Because of their dependence on prey for colenterazine, bioluminescence is almost certainly a post-Cambrian development since synthesis of colenterazine in prey had to occur before bioluminescence in predators (Haddock et al 2010).

Tree of Life showing the origins of the phylums Cnidaria and Ctenophora. The * next to the taxon names indicates there are species within that are capable of bioluminescece. Adapted from an image found in Haddock and Case, 2001.