Whispers in the Soil: An Illuminating Dialogue Between Engineered Plants and Bacteria

Whispers in the Soil: An Illuminating Dialogue Between Engineered Plants and Bacteria

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2024 Award Winner

Alice Boo, Tyler Toth, Qiguo Yu, Alexander Pfotenhauer, Brandon D. Fields, Scott Lenaghan, Neal Stewart, Christopher A. Voigt

MIT Department of Biological Engineering

The gentle fluorescent glow displayed by these Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings mark an engineered communication between plant and microbe. Using synthetic biology techniques, the Voigt Lab engineered soil bacteria to convey environmental information about plants, such as the presence of essential nutrients, potential pathogens, or pollutants. Using bacteria as messengers may help manage soil health, optimize resource use, and prevent crop loss with precise, real-time data for smarter agriculture.

A grid of 15 plants seen from above on a dark background. Most of the plant leaves are deep blue and purple, but some are shaded in with hot pinks and oranges.

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