” So far, bacteria such as Escherichia coli or the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are mainly used, but neither of them are native manufacturers of natural products,” describes Vito Valiante, head of the complying junior research study group “Biobricks of Microbial Natural Product Syntheses” at the Leibniz-HKI. The research study group is thus looking for alternatives.
To test how well D. discoideum is matched as a chassis organism for biotechnological production, the researchers first had the amoeba produce the food supplement resveratrol, also a polyketide. Afterward they incorporated the plant enzyme that produces the THC precursor olivetolic acid into the amoebas genome. Nevertheless, the addition of chemical precursors was still necessary to make it possible for the synthesis.
To circumvent this, the scientists made the most of the amoebas natural homes and integrated the plant enzyme with an amoebic enzyme. “The amoeba is able to produce the needed precursor, a hexane system, directly on website,” Hillmann discusses. Therefore, the research team was successful in producing a functional inter-kingdom hybrid enzyme that produces olivetolic acid without any more ingredients.
” Through our research study, we have revealed that the amoeba Dictyostelium can be utilized as a biotechnological production platform for polyketide-based natural items,” states Reimer. The researchers already submitted a patent for the procedure, and are aiming to enhance it on a continuous basis. “Our next goal is to place the two enzymes that are still missing out on in order to be able to produce the end product THC in the amoebae,” Hillmann states.
Additionally, a group from the Bio Pilot Plant at the Leibniz-HKI was likewise involved in the research study. Johann Kufs, joint very first author of the research study together with Reimer, is in charge of developing and optimizing the synthesis procedure for commercial application.
Referral: “Engineering the amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum for biosynthesis of a cannabinoid precursor and other polyketides” by Christin Reimer, Johann E. Kufs, Julia Rautschek, Lars Regestein, Vito Valiante and Falk Hillmann, 6 January 2022, Nature Biotechnology.DOI: 10.1038/ s41587-021-01143-8.
The work was supported by the research group program of the state of Thuringia with financing from the European Social Fund in addition to by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF)– to name a few, as part of the “GO-Bio preliminary” program.
” So far, bacteria such as Escherichia coli or the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are mainly used, however neither of them are native producers of natural items,” discusses Vito Valiante, head of the cooperating junior research group “Biobricks of Microbial Natural Product Syntheses” at the Leibniz-HKI. Hence, the research study group succeeded in producing a functional inter-kingdom hybrid enzyme that produces olivetolic acid without any further ingredients.
” Through our research, we have actually shown that the amoeba Dictyostelium can be used as a biotechnological production platform for polyketide-based natural items,” states Reimer.
The unicellular amoeba Dictyostelium discoideum can form a multicellular association and form fruiting bodies that launch spores. Credit: Falk Hillmann/ Leibniz-HKI
A research group at the Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology– Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI) in Jena, Germany has actually developed a new technique to produce intricate natural items in amoebae. These polyketides consist of numerous antibiotics but likewise olivetolic acid, a precursor of the organic active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Polyketides are natural items with a large range of therapeutic applications. Among them are dietary supplements, numerous prescription antibiotics such as erythromycin, and among the key cannabinoid precursors: Olivetolic acid. It is required for the synthesis of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). The medical usage of this psychedelic compound is being intensely looked into, and it is already being used to supply relief for clients with neurological illness and discomfort, among other things.
“However, isolating THC in its pure form from the abundance of substances is extremely complicated,” states Falk Hillmann, head of the junior research group “Evolution of Microbial Interactions” at Leibniz-HKI and coleader of the study. Thats why he and a team are researching how such plant compounds can be efficiently produced biotechnologically.
By Leibniz Institute for Natural Item Research Study and Infection Biology
March 6, 2022
“However, isolating THC in its pure kind from the abundance of substances is very intricate,” says Falk Hillmann, head of the junior research study group “Evolution of Microbial Interactions” at Leibniz-HKI and coleader of the study. Thats why he and a group are researching how such plant substances can be effectively produced biotechnologically.