photoprotein
|pho-to-pro-tein|
C1
🇺🇸
/ˌfoʊtoʊˈproʊtiːn/
🇬🇧
/ˌfəʊtəʊˈprəʊtiːn/
light-emitting protein
Etymology
Etymology Information
'photoprotein' originates from Greek, specifically the words 'phōs' meaning 'light' and 'proteios' meaning 'primary' or 'protein'.
Historical Evolution
'phōs' and 'proteios' combined to form the modern English word 'photoprotein'.
Meaning Changes
Initially, it meant 'light-emitting protein', and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a type of protein that emits light upon reacting with a specific substrate, often used in bioluminescence studies.
The jellyfish Aequorea victoria produces a photoprotein called aequorin.
Synonyms
Last updated: 2025/05/26 11:18