RE: FLUFF stuff - Other glowing things

["Carlisle, Sara" <carlisles@aecl.ca>]

The bioluminescence is caused by an enzyme (luciferase) breaking down
ATP, the molecule that is used as a source of energy in biological
processes.  The same reaction makes fireflies glow, and is used in
luminescent lights (I think they're called Cyalume, but I'm not
certain).  

I agree that "natural" should not be equated with "safe", and would hope
that toxicity testing would be required before approving the use of
luciferase in cosmetics and food. I would expect the luciferase would be
broken down during digestion, like most other proteins - as long as they
have tested for this, and for allergenicity, I wouldn't be too worried
about eating the stuff. 


Sara M. Carlisle
Radiation Biology and Health Physics Branch
AECL, Chalk River Laboratories
Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0
Canada

phone (613) 584-8811 extn 3667
fax        (613) 584-1713
email   carlisles@aecl.ca

> ----------
> From: 	Bernadette Baca[SMTP:Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us]
> Sent: 	Wednesday, June 24, 1998 1:09 AM
> To: 	Multiple recipients of list
> Subject: 	FLUFF stuff - Other glowing things
> 
> EEWWW....... then
> HHMMM??????..........
> 
> Here's a copy of an article from one of my electronic news services.  
> It talks about the soon to be explored possibility of 
> "bioluminescent" food additives.  Even though it is considered 
> "natural" I'm still not sure it'll be too good for humans.  I'm not 
> sure I want my family to find out I've been the one raiding the 
> cookie jar.
> 
> *** Wide role for fishy light source?
> Light-emitting enzymes from jellyfish and shrimp could be used to 
> make glow-in-the-dark cosmetics, beverages, yogurt and cake icing, a 
> team of scientists and doctors said Monday. Officials with Prolume 
> Ltd., of Pittsburgh, demonstrated their "bioluminescent" additives at 
> an exposition sponsored by the Institute of Food Technologists in
> Atlanta. The company said it has cloned the genes which make sea
> creatures glow, creating light-emitting proteins which could also be
> used to make cancer cells or tumors visible. Prolume President Gene
> Finley said the proteins are safe for use as a food colorant because
> they are made from natural sources found in marine life. (Reuters)
> 
> Now here's our chance to really glow.
> 
> 
> Bernadette Baca
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> TDH - Bureau of Radiation Control     
> Uranium Licensing Project
> 1100 West 49th
> Austin, TX 78756 - 3189
> (512) 834 - 6688  ext: 2206
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> 
> -My supervisor has not read or approved this message, 
> much less agrees with my point of view.  Therefore, use at your own
> risk and humor.
> 
> mailto:Bernadette.Baca@tdh.state.tx.us
> 
> "Beneath this chaos is a really big mess." - Jim Davis
>