MIT Engineers Bacteria into Living Transistors for Plant Self-Defense

At MIT, scientists have modified bacteria to function as communicators, enabling plants to detect environmental factors such as drought or pest infestations. The research, published in Nature Chemical Biology and spearheaded by Christopher Voigt, explores synthetic biology circuits that utilize cells for messaging. Employing the bacterium Pantoea agglomerans, these cells identify molecules and transmit signals on a petri dish. The most extensive circuit comprised 24 colonies, integrating inputs through a multi-directional signaling pathway. The aim is to create circuits that can coat plant leaves or roots to react to stressors. Voigt emphasized that while these circuits are computationally robust, they do not serve as substitutes for computers. Hamid Doosthosseini is the study's lead author, supported by DARPA and the US Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity.