D-Luciferin 1-(4,5-dimethoxy-2-nitrophenyl) ethyl ester

Luciferins are light-emitting heterocyclic compounds commonly used in biochemistry. Luciferin is the natural ligand for the enzyme luciferase, which oxidizes the substrate, emitting energy in the form of light in the process. Firefly luciferase requires ATP for its reaction, emitting a greenish-yellow luminescence at a peak wavelength of approximately 530 nm. DMNPE-caged luciferin crosses cell membranes easily and can be used to study intracellular activities such as changes in gene transcription.