Akaluc was derived by mutagenesis of the pLUC luciferase encoded by the Photinus pyralis LUC gene (UniProtKB:P08659), containing in addition 28 amino acid substitutions. It was developed by directed evolution to produce brighter luminescence than pLUC in the reaction with AkaLumine, a synthetic analog of D-luciferin (PMID:29472486).