Scientists created this picture of the Mona Lisa using genetically modify E. coli bacterium . Such teeny little artists !
The Italian researcher were n’t just playing around with bacterium for fun . Rather , they were attempting to unite dissimilar attribute so they could contain turgid populations of bacteria — perhaps to one day build microscopic conveyance devices , or even 3D print using bacterium .
“ I think it ’s an interesting proof of concept of possibly using bacterium as bricks to build up social organization on the microscale stingily and easily , ” subject area generator Roberto Di Leonardo from the Sapiezna University of Roma narrate Gizmodo .
Evolution has acquire bunch of cool survival strategies , but all those trait do n’t appear in the same organism . You know , Pisces are kind of dumb , but they can breathe underwater , while homo are less dumb but alas susceptible to drowning . In this case , the researcher were interested in uniting the light - sensitive protein proteorhodopsin — basically a solar gore for cells — with the E. coli ’s flagellum , a tiny tail motor . They hoped to create a organization where the more light a bacteria get , the quicker its tail would move .
The researchers wed the proteorhodopsin - bring out factor into the bacterium . Then , they put back a projector ’s lens with a microscope lens for project images onto a stage that take hold the bacterium , two micrometers per pixel . The researcher knew that slower - moving bacteria receiving less light would cluster together , while faster - go ones receiving more light would move farther apart . The clumping patterns would create the resulting image , where regions of more bacteria appear white and region of less bacteria appear opprobrious . The researchers shone negatives for create the image .
There were still some issuance , according to the paper — bacteria were dull to change positions , and the images came out fuzzy . So , the researchers set up a feedback loop where every 20 seconds , the bacterial position were compared to the final desired image . position where the bacteria over - roll up were brightened to travel rapidly up and spread out the bacterium , and places where the bacteria under - accumulate were dimmed to retard down the bacteria and have more clip-clop .
The researcher point out that there are other passive systems in which genetically modified bacteriaselectively stick to open . But with motion , bacteria take over their positions quicker .
Christina Agapakis , originative director at Ginkgo Bioworks who was not involved with the study , was impressed by the workplace . “ This rules , ” she recount Gizmodo .
Will light - reactive bacterium ever powerfulness microscopic machines or become 3D - printed , living , functional bricks ? clock time will tell . but for now , they ’re cheer the Mona Lisa .
[ eLife ]
BacteriaBiologye . coliMona LisaSciencesynthetic biota
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