Research With Tobacco Plants Leads Science to New Lights!
The sun goes down and the streets in the city are lighted. But not with electricity. The glow comes from bioluminescence of genetically
modified trees. This may sound like science fiction; however, scientists could develop glowing trees that
replace streetlights. This breakthrough in bioluminescence was derived from research done at Cambridge University. The process is implemented
by transduction of modified genes with E. coli bacteria. No glowing trees have been grown, but multiple colors and significant amounts of
light have been produced using this method.
These newer breakthroughs in genetic engineering are derived from studies initially done using tobacco plants.
Biochemists from the
University of California at San Diego added the gene of a firefly to the tobacco's DNA. The gene produces
Luciferase (an enzyme that makes fireflies glow). The scientist then integrated it into tobacco cells. The result was a tobacco plant with
leaves, roots and stems that glow. Just like a firefly.
Although we don’t sell glowing tobacco, we do have a plethora of tobacco varieties to choose from at SmokingPipes.com. Old Gowrie, Long Golden Flake, Westminster, Dunbar, and Margate are a few of our best sellers. We also have a huge stock of bulk tobacco (if you found a favorite blend). Some of the top sellers in bulk tobacco are 1-Q, Black Irish-X, Dark Bird's Eye, and Louisiana Perique Flake.
