Biosynthesis of luciferin in the sea firefly, Cypridina hilgendorfii: l-tryptophan is a component in Cypridina luciferin

Feeding experiment to the marine ostracod crustacean, Cypridina (Vargula) hilgendorfii, using l-tryptophan labeled with deuterium at indole ring revealed that the labeled l-tryptophan was incorporated into Cypridina luciferin as a component and the animals were able to synthesize the luciferin in a de novo synthetic pathway.