Picosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy of luciferin

We present the results of picosecond time-resolved absorption spectroscopy of luciferin, substrate of the bioluminescence reaction. Both absorption an d emission from the excited states contribute to the detected signal, Time evolution of the differential optical density at different wavelengths is a nalyzed. Characteristic rate constants of the relaxation processes are dete rmined. The possible relationship between the behavior of the luciferin mol ecule in the excited state and the properties of the luciferin-luciferase c omplex is discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.