Re: [DIYbio] Re: Finally a chance to create a glowing plant?

Do remember that bacterial bioluminescence and firefly bioluminescence,
and most other systems besides, are prime examples of _convergent
evolution_. They mostly bear no actual homology to one another.

That caveat shared however, you are right nonetheless: Bacterial
bioluminescence also requires and consumes oxygen. In plants, this
probably means you'll see best results under warm conditions with plenty
of water, which will encourage leaf stomata to open and allow free gas
exchange. You may find that plants in less ideal conditions will suffer
from oxygen limitation at night-time if they have to keep their stomata
closed to conserve water, and this might affect growth or survival.

Worth remembering when people raise the spectre of wild escapee plants,
I guess; there's no real advantage, and significant potential
disadvantages to bioluminescent plants in the wild.

On 16/07/12 17:49, Gavin Scott wrote:
> Since, as I understand it, the luciferin-luciferase reaction requires
> oxygen (I just read that fireflies glow by producing nitric oxide to
> temporarily prevent the mitochondria from consuming all the oxygen), might
> you not end up with a situation where your plants glow, but only in direct
> sunlight where photosynthesis produces a surplus of O2?
>
> G.
>


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