3 replies to this topic

[Omnipotent]

I was thinking, we have plenty of people here working at labs. Why doesn't somebody make some colorful glowing plants using the famous GFP gene? I would certainly buy some plants like that, and I'm sure they'd be a hit at Christmas (red and green glowing plants ftw?)

[Ace of Zardoz]

Because GMO is bad Mmmmkay. lol

Seriously though what would prevent inadvertent contamination of wild populations or naturalization of this GMO plant?

[kmoody]

Most obvious applications of GFP and other fluorophores are already patented. I started an S corp as an undergraduate to develop glow in the dark beer / vodka using GFP and luciferase. Things were going great until we discovered Bruce Bryan already has the patents.

[John Schloendorn]

Seriously though what would prevent inadvertent contamination of wild populations or naturalization of this GMO plant?

I'm hoping that pollination by night insects attracted to the light would confer such a huge selective advantage that this entire boring dark-at-night flora business would soon be done away with.