Transgenic plants, and a method for making the same, wherein genes
encoding the enzyme luciferase and its corresponding substrate luciferin
are incorporated into a native plant genome. Once transformed into plant
cells, these genes may be regulated such that under certain endogenous or
exogenous conditions, their expression in the mature plant results in
bioluminescence. Different luciferin/luciferase complexes and/or
mechanisms of regulation may be utilized for these transgenic plants,
depending on a variety of factors such as plant species and the
circumstances under which a bioluminescent reaction is desired.
Phototransformation may be utilized to vary the wavelength of light
emitted from the mature plant.