The RUBY Reporter
RUBY is a synthetic gene that encodes the enzymes for the synthesis of betalain, a vivid red natural product. RUBY is a great reporter for monitoring transformation events and gene expression levels because transgenic cells are distinctly red and visible to the naked eye. It does not require special equipment, expensive chemicals, or invasive treatments.
See our article in Horticulture Research
Article about a pesticide-sensing technology using RUBY in WIRED
Addgene Blog Post
Plasmids available from Addgene
Our work has been highlighted at Nature as part of the celebration of 20-year Addgene
A list of publications using RUBY
See below for images of RUBY-fied plants kindly shared by other scientists. Hover and click for more information!
If you have used RUBY, contact yundezhao@ucsd.edu and we will add your work to the gallery.
Arabidopsis thaliana (agamous mutants)
Nick Desnoyer
Grossniklaus Lab, University of Zürich, Switzerland
Hemp
Wisconsin Crop Innovation Center
Latuca sativa cv. Salinas
(Lettuce)
Beth Rowan
Michelmore Lab, UC Davis Genome Center
Peanut
Dr. Dongxin Huai
Oil Crops Research Institute
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Bok Choy
Changwei Zhang and Tongkun Liu
Nanjing Agriculture University, Nanjing, China
Soybean
Wayne Parrott
University of Georgia
Tall fescue
Wayne Parrott
University of Georgia
Switchgrass
Wayne Parrott
University of Georgia
Petunia
Oded Skaliter
Institute of Plant Sciences and Genetics in Agriculture, The Robert H. Smith Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Environment, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Cucumis sativus L. (Cucumber)
Alexey Kiryushkin
Demchenko Lab, Komarov Botanical Institute, Russia
Latuca sativa cv. Cobham Green
(Lettuce)
Beth Rowan
Michelmore Lab, UC Davis Genome Center
Solanum nigrum (Black Nightshade)
Qiang Li
Hebei Agricultural University, China
Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)
BetterSeeds
Zea mays (Maize)
Thomas Widiez
Plant Reproduction & Development Institute, Lyon, France
Gossypium (Cotton)
Wangzhen Guo
Nanjiang Agricultural University, China
Nicotiana benthamiana
Penelope Lindsay
Dave Jackson Lab, Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, New York ,USA
Brachypodium
Daowen Wang
Henan Agricultural University, China
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
Goetz Hensel
Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
Arabidopsis thaliana
Andrew Willoughby
Nimchuk Lab, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA
Gossypium (Cotton)
Xiaoyang Ge
Cotton Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
Marchantia polymorpha
Xiaolong Ren
Bo Xu Lab
Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences
Zea Mays (Maize)
Yu Zhong
China Agricultural University
Marchantia polymorpha
Open Plant Collaboration
Genspace, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Nicotiana tabacum
Phanikanth Jogam
AV Rao Lab, Kakatiya University, Warangal, India
Latuca serriola
(Wild Lettuce)
Beth Rowan
Michelmore Lab, UC Davis Genome Center
Theobroma cacao (Cocoa)
Rafael Urrea López
CITAEJ, Jalisco, Mexico
Glycine max (Soybean)
Alexandra Margets and Jessica Foster
Roger Innes Lab, Indiana University Bloomington, USA
Citrullus lanatus (Watermelon)
Li Yuan
Northwest A&F University, China
Arabidopsis thaliana
Prakash Sivakumar
Imran Siddiqi Lab, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India
Triticum aestivum (Wheat)
Guanghui Guo
Henan University, China
Bamboo
Lianfeng Gu, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, China
Chyrsanthemum
Jiafu Jiang
Nanjing Agricultural University, China
Lactuca sativa (Lettuce)
Andrew Willoughby
Nimchuk Lab, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA
Eucalyptus
Lejun Ouyang
Guangdong University of Petrochemical Technology, China
Zea mays (Maize)
Yu Zhong
China Agricultural University
Vitis (Grape)
Chong Ren
Institute of Botany, The Chinese Academy of Sciences
Pyrus (Pear)
Chuangqi Wei
Junfeng Guan Lab
Hebei Academy of Agriculture and Forestry
Hordeum (Barley)
Likun An
College of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Qinghai University
Brassica napus (Rapeseed)
Dan Li & Yifan Li
Bin Yi Lab
Huazhong Agricultural University
Chinese Cabbage
Shubin Wang, Institute of Vegetables, Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, China
Hulless barley
（Hordeum vulgare L. var. nudum Hook. f.）
Dr. Likun An
Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences， Qinghai University
Persea americana (Avocado)
Rafael Urrea López
CITAEJ, Jalisco, Mexico
Mandarin Orange
Ana Arruabarrena
INIA Salto Grande, Salto, Uruguay
Nicotiana benthamiana
Goetz Hensel
Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
Glycine Max (Soybean)
Yongguang Li
Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, China
Physcomitrium patens
Sophie Irmak, Shreya Repakula, Michael Prigge
Mark Estelle Lab, UC San Diego, USA
Cucumis sativus L. (Cucumber)
BetterSeeds
Lactuca sativa (Lettuce)
Andrew Willoughby
Nimchuk Lab, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA
Marchantia polymorpha
Open Plant Collaboration
Genspace, Brooklyn, New York, USA
Hordeum vulgare (Barley)
Goetz Hensel
Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
Plukenetia volubilis L.
(Sacha inchi)
Zengfu Xu
Guangxi University, China
Nicotiana benthamiana
Alexandra Margets and Jessica Foster
Roger Innes Lab, Indiana University Bloomington, USA
Helianthus annuus (Sunflower)
Goetz Hensel
Centre for Plant Genome Engineering, Institute of Plant Biochemistry, Heinrich-Heine-University, Germany
Litchi chinensis (Lychee)
Hanhan Xie
Jianguo Li Lab
South China Agricultural University
Arabidopsis thaliana
Andrew Willoughby
Nimchuk Lab, University of North Carolina Chapel Hill, USA
Lycium barbarum
(Goji Berry)
Xiaojun Chen
Ningxia Academy of Agriculture and Forestry, China
Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato)
Yu Zhong
China Agricultural University