Plants That Can Glow In the Dark

Bioluminescence is the emission of light from living organisms. The organisms which can produce light are either invertebrates or marine vertebrates. They have symbiotic bacteria in their bodies which makes bioluminescence possible. These bacteria are called bioluminescent bacteria and some of them can live free (Vibrio harveyi) or in symiosis (Vibrio fischeri).

Bioluminescence is a product of one chemical reaction between luciferin pigment and the luciferase enzyme. The enzyme catalyzes the oxidation on luciferin and the released compounds are oxyluciferin and light. This released light is bioluminescence.

Energy is needed for this chemical reaction. Genetic engineering allows scientists make bioluminescent plants. But how it that possible?

The first bioluminescent plant was created in 2010 (Nicotiana alata) by a biotech company called Bioglow. Scientists mapped and separated the gene for producing light from the bioluminescent bacteria. Then this gene was put into the chloroplast genome of the plant. That’s it.

In the future we might be using bioluminescent tree instead of modern streetlight.