A study published in the journal "Nature Biotechnology" showed that an international team of scientists in London and Moscow managed to develop luminous tobacco plants, using the DNA of a luminous fungus. "The plants that contain the DNA of the fungus constantly glow throughout their life cycle, from seedlings to maturity, and without any impairment in their functions," the London Institute of Medical Sciences said in a statement.
The team, led by scientists Karen Sarkissian and Ilya Yampolsky, stated that although light is not as strong as a light bulb, it is visible to the naked eye.
The process revolves around the plants to convert natural compound usually contributes to the support of the walls of plant cells, which is Alcaviak acid to Oseveran compound which emits light.
Sarkisian said in the statement: "We did not expect to see light in a fully grown plant with the naked eye, magic to this degree." Planta, a Moscow-based biotechnology startup that participated in the project, plans to commercialize the concept of introducing illuminated ornamental plants.