Superoxlde-triggered Chemiluminescence of the Extract of Luminous Mushroom Panellus stipticus after Treatment with Methylamine

The extract of the luminous mushroom Panellus stipticus wasonly slightly chemiluminescent but, when treated with methylamine,it developed a strong capability of chemiluminescence whichcorresponds to the total light emission in 4–5 h fromthe fresh, brightly luminescing specimens before extraction.The chemiluminescent compounds thus formed, as well as the precursorcompounds that yielded the chemiluminescent compounds, werepurified and their properties were investigated. The purifiedchemiluminescent compounds (3 kinds) were orange coloured solids(absorption maxima 210 nm and 488 nm) and showed yellowish fluorescence(emission maximum 520–530 nm) when dissolved in variousorganic solvents or in aqueous buffer solutions containing asurfactant. The precursor compounds (2 kinds) were colourlessoils (absorption maximum 215 nm) and non-fluorescent. The chemiluminescencereaction in aqueous pH 8?0 buffer solutions required the presenceof , O₂, and a surfactant. The spectral distributionand intensity of chemiluminescence was significantly affectedby the type of surfactant used, resulting in emission peaksof various intensities in a broad wavelength range of 480 nmto 530 nm. Various lines of evidence suggest that the chemiluminescencereaction studied might be closely related with the bioluminescencereaction of P. stipticus (emission maximum 530 nm). Key words: Superoxide anion, chemiluminescence, bioluminescence, luminous fungi