Researchers have been able to get a form of yeast to produce cannabinoids, but much more work needs to be done to generate commercially viable quantities.
Yarrowia lipolytica is a non-pathogenic yeast already in wide use given its unique physiological and biochemical properties. It’s commonly used in food-related applications as an additive. Yarrowia lipolytica also has potential in biofuel production as it can be engineered to accumulate high amounts of lipids, which are a feedstock for biodiesel.
Here’s a new potential use – the production of cannabinoids through biosynthesis. The researchers reportedly achieved the de novo biosynthesis of various cannabinoids and their analogs. De novo biosynthesis is the process of creating complex molecules from simple precursor molecules, rather than reusing components from the breakdown of larger molecules
The researchers, from various Chinese and Israeli universities state:
“Our engineered Y. lipolytica produced 3.5 mg/L cannabigerolic acid, 18.8 mg/L orsellinic acid, and 0.5 mg/L cannabigerorcinic acid. Additionally, the CBGA titer reached 15.7 mg/L with olivetolic acid supplementation. This work demonstrates the versatility of Y. lipolytica as a promising host for the production of cannabinoids and their analogs, which opens avenues for further research and medicinal applications.”
- Cannabigerolic acid = CBGA
- Orsellinic acid = OLA
- Cannabigerorcinic acid = CBGOA
Cannabigerolic acid is a key cannabinoid, acting as the primary precursor for all pentyl side chain cannabinoids, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and cannabinol (CBN).
Their work, claimed to represent the first reported production of these cannabinoids in such a way, was published earlier this year in the journal BioDesign Research. Beyond cannabinoids, the researchers say approaches described in their work can also be extended to the biosynthesis of other complex natural products, “paving the way for innovative applications in biotechnology and medicine.”
Funding for their research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, China’s Li Ka-shing Foundation and the Muyuan Laboratory.
In addition to potentially using yeast as a source of cannabinoids, plants other than hemp and marijuana also contain them. For example, Trema micranthum (Cannabaceae), a common plant in Brazil, is a promising new source of cannabidinoids, including cannabidiol (CBD).
