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By embedding specialized
nanoparticles
into the leaves of
watercress plants,
MIT engineers have been able to
induce the plants to give off
a dim light for nearly 4 hours.
And they believe that
with further optimization,
such plants will one
day be bright enough
to illuminate an
entire workspace.
Imagine that
instead of switching
on a lamp when it
gets dark, you could
read by the light of a
glowing plant on your desk.
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To create their glowing
plants, the MIT team
turned to luciferase,
the enzyme that
gives fireflies their glow.
Luciferase acts on a
molecule called luciferin,
causing it to emit light.
Another molecule,
called coenzyme A,
helps the process
along by removing
a reaction byproduct that can
inhibit luciferase activity.
The MIT team packaged each
of these three components
into nanoparticle
carriers of varying size
to help each component get to
the right part of the plant.
To get the particles
into the plant leaves,
the researchers first suspended
the particles into a solution.
Then plants were
immersed in the solution
and exposed to high
pressure, allowing
the particles to enter the
leaves through tiny pores
called stomata.
Once in the leaves,
the particles gradually
release luciferin, which then
enters the plant cells, where
the luciferase performs
the chemical reaction that
makes luciferin glow.
Previous efforts to create
light-emitting plants
have relied on genetically
engineering plants
to express the gene
for luciferase.
But this is a
laborious process that
yields extremely dim
light and often limited
to one type of plant.
The new method,
developed at MIT,
could be used on
any type of plant.
So far, they have demonstrated
it with arugula, kale, spinach,
and watercress.
In the future, the
researchers say
this technology could
be used to provide
low-intensity indoor
lighting or transform trees
into self-powered streetlights.
