# Fluorescent Pixel Art Generation

**URL:** https://cloud.ginkgo.bio/protocols/fluorescent-pixel-art-generation
**Status:** Beta
**Price:** $25/plate
**Turnaround:** 5-7 days

## Overview

Transforms a digital image into a living, fluorescent bacterial artwork printed on an agar omni-tray. Customers submit a pixel art design and colors are mapped to distinct fluorescent E. coli strains. Overnight cultures are prepared from frozen glycerol stocks, diluted, and dispensed onto selective LB-chloramphenicol agar plates via Echo acoustic liquid handling at 50 nL per spot. Plates are incubated at 30 deg C for 16 hours, followed by 4 deg C for 12 hours to stabilize colony morphology and fluorescence. High-resolution photographs are captured under UV illumination and delivered digitally.

## Input

- **Image file:** `.png` or `.svg` format
- **Resolution:** 48x48 to 96x96 pixels
- **Color mapping:** Match image colors to the fluorescent strain palette
- **Orientation:** Confirm plate orientation and multi-plate designs (identical vs. distinct)

## Available Fluorescent E. coli Strains (11 colors)

| Strain/Protein | Color |
|---|---|
| sfGFP | Green |
| mRFP | Red |
| mKO2 | Orange |
| Venus | Yellow |
| Azurite | Blue |
| mClover3 | Bright Green |
| mJuniper | Dark Green |
| mTurquoise2 | Cyan |
| Electra2 | Electric Blue |
| mWasabi | Light Green |
| mScarlet-I | Scarlet |

## Output

- **Digital delivery:** High-resolution UV images in TIFF/JPEG format
- **Optional add-ons:** Framed archival prints

## Automated Workflow

### Phase 1 - Source Plate Preparation

1. Shake source plate
2. Centrifuge source plate
3. Peel source plate seal

### Phase 2 - Acoustic Dispensing (per destination plate)

1. Peel destination seal
2. Echo hit-pick dispensing (50 nL per spot)
3. Seal destination plate
4. Shake destination plate
5. Centrifuge destination
6. Store destination at 30 deg C (16 hr incubation)

### Phase 3 - Source Storage

1. Seal source plate
2. Store source plate

### Post-Processing

1. Transfer to 4 deg C for 12 hours (fluorescence stabilization)
2. UV illumination photography
3. Image processing and delivery

## Ordering

- **Number of Plates:** configurable
- **File Upload:** CSV, Excel, FASTA, TXT, PDF, ZIP, PNG, JPG, GIF, SVG, WEBP
- **Additional Details:** free-text field for special requirements

## Certification Milestones

- Dry Run Complete
- Wet Run Complete
- Biovalidation Complete
- App Note Complete

## Use Cases

- Educational outreach and demonstrations
- Unique scientific art and gifts
- Conference displays and promotional materials
- Lab team celebrations
- Visualizing biological art concepts