A team of scientists at the University of California, Riverside has engineered an innovative genetic marker called RUBY. It produces a vivid red pigment identical to the betalain compounds found naturally in beets.
This breakthrough development offers a safer, more visually apparent alternative to conventional antibiotic or herbicide resistance markers currently used in genetic modification research. Unlike traditional markers that can damage test cells, RUBY functions as a non-destructive visual indicator. When successfully incorporated into plant DNA, the genetic marker causes transformed cells to turn a distinctive red color detectable without specialized laboratory equipment. The researchers demonstrated RUBY’s practical application by creating genetically modified mustard plants that change color when exposed to the pesticide azinphos-ethyl.
The food industry might utilize RUBY-modified plants as natural biosensors for detecting pesticide residues or other chemical contaminants in food production systems.
Image Credit: University of California