
Ask HN: Are there plants that can open a window? - MrQuincle
There are genetically engineered bacteria that can send a signal when the water gets polluted: http:&#x2F;&#x2F;news.discovery.com&#x2F;tech&#x2F;biotechnology&#x2F;engineered-bacteria-send-a-signal-when-water-gets-polluted-150811.htm<p>Are there genetically engineered plants that for example emit light in a particular part of the spectrum to directly control valves&#x2F;actuators in greenhouses to provide them with more or less water, nutrients, etc.?<p>At first this actuator that is artificially encoded in their genes will not be used as such by the plant itself. However, through evolution the plants that incorporate this genetic circuit in such a way that they can control the lights&#x2F;water&#x2F;nutrients will be selected for.
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giltleaf
There are glow in the dark plants
([http://www.glowingplant.com/](http://www.glowingplant.com/)) but there are
not plants genetically engineered to produce photosynthetically useful light
that I know of. And they definitely don't exist in anything close to a
commercially useful form.

I'm not really sure how the text of your question relates to the headline
though. There are plants that can open a window as they grow over time, but
there isn't a plant that can just do it in response to stimuli.

I'm not sure how useful this technology would be when it's already so easy,
low cost, and sustainable to incorporate it mechanically without the added
regulatory, r&d, and cost hurdles associated with genetic engineering. I would
also mention GE issues with patents and environmental damage.

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jakejake
I don't know the answer to your question but it would be fascinating if some
type of plant or organism could evolve to use some type of man-made tool. Like
a plant or fungus or something that could trigger a flow of water or sunlight.

