Researchers at the California Institute of Technology are producing large quantities of drugs, including antiplaque toothpaste additives, antibiotics, nicotine, and even morphine, using mini biofactories – in yeast.

Christina Smolke, assistant professor of chemical engineering, Caltech, along with graduate student Kristy Hawkins, genetically modified common baker’s yeast (saccharomyces cerevisiae) so that it contained the genes for several plant enzymes. The enzymes allow the yeast to produce a chemical called reticuline, which is a precursor for many different classes of benzylisoquinoline alkaloid (BIA) molecules.

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