【Institute for Advanced Biosciences】 “Stolen Protein” Bioluminescent Fish Genome Decoded — Study reveals absence of luciferase gene, shedding light on undigested protein mystery —

2026.04.03

A collaborative research team led by Assistant Professor Manabu Bessho-Uehara of the Frontier Research Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences, Tohoku University, together with researchers from the National Institute for Basic Biology, the University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium, and Project Research Associate Taro Maeda of the IAB, Keio University, has successfully decoded the genome of the luminous fish Siphamia versicolor using advanced long-read sequencing technology.

Comprehensive genome analysis revealed that the fish does not possess the luciferase gene of bioluminescent ostracods (sea fireflies), providing new insights into how the organism emits light using externally acquired proteins and why these proteins are not digested.

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“Stolen Protein” Bioluminescent Fish Genome Decoded — Study reveals absence of luciferase gene, shedding light on undigested protein mystery —