Identification of 3-enol sulfate of Cypridina luciferin, Cypridina luciferyl sulfate, in the sea-firefly Cypridina (Vargula) hilgendorfii

Cypridina luciferin from the luminous ostracod Cypridina (Vargula) hilgendorfii has an imidazopyrazinone core structure (3,7-dihydroimidazopyrazin-3-one), which is identical to that of coelenterazine. Cypridina luciferyl sulfate (3-enol sulfate of Cypridina luciferin) was isolated for the first time and the chemical structure was identified by LC/ESI-TOF-MS analysis. Furthermore, Cypridina luciferyl sulfate was chemically synthesized, and its absorption and MS/MS spectra were in agreement with that of Cypridina luciferyl sulfate isolated. Using the crude extracts of Cypridina specimens, Cypridina luciferyl sulfate could be converted to Cypridina luciferin in the presence of adenosine 3′,5′-diphosphate (PAP), and Cypridina luciferin was converted to Cypridina luciferyl sulfate in the presence of 3′-phosphoadenosine 5′-phosphosulfate (PAPS). These results suggested that a sulfotransferase catalyzes the reversible sulfation of Cypridina luciferin in Cypridina hilgendorfii. In aqueous solution, Cypridina luciferyl sulfate was more stable than Cypridina luciferin and might be a storage form of Cypridina luciferin.