Recombinant Yeast Biosynthesis of CBC-Type Cannabinoids
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Solution Overview
Problem
The traditional methods for producing cannabinoids, such as from Cannabis plants, are inefficient and costly, with high energy consumption and limited production of rare cannabinoids, while chemical synthesis methods suffer from low yields and high costs.
Innovation Solution
Genetically modified host cells are used to produce cannabinoids and cannabinoid precursors from fatty acid substrates, employing heterologous polynucleotides encoding terminal synthases with specific sequences to enhance production efficiency and specificity, particularly for CBC-type cannabinoids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If Cannabis plants are cultivated in controlled environments to produce cannabinoids, then cannabinoid production is achieved, but energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical/biological system of plant cultivation with a biochemical system using engineered microorganisms. Specifically, it uses recombinant yeast cells with heterologous metabolic pathways to convert fatty acid substrates into cannabinoids through enzymatic reactions, eliminating the need for energy-intensive controlled environment agriculture
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the fundamental parameters of production by switching from plant-based biosynthesis to microbial biosynthesis. This involves modifying the metabolic parameters of host cells (yeast) through genetic engineering to enable them to produce cannabinoids efficiently, resulting in lower energy consumption and higher production efficiency
2Quantity of substance
If Cannabis plants are grown to produce cannabinoids, then THC and CBD are obtained, but rare cannabinoids are produced only in very low concentrations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal production system using engineered microorganisms that can be programmed to produce multiple different cannabinoids simultaneously. By introducing heterologous metabolic pathways into host cells, the system can generate a diverse range of cannabinoids including rare types, overcoming the plant's natural limitation of producing only trace amounts of non-prevalent cannabinoids
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses heterologous metabolic intermediates and engineered enzymes as mediators to enable the production of rare cannabinoids. The metabolic intermediates serve as building blocks that are converted into various cannabinoid products through the engineered enzymatic pathways, allowing precise control over the concentration and diversity of cannabinoids produced
3Adaptability or versatility
If chemical synthesis methods are used to produce cannabinoids, then production flexibility is improved, but yields are low and costs are high
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs self-service biocatalysis where engineered microorganisms perform the synthesis reactions autonomously. The host cells utilize their own metabolic machinery, supplemented by introduced enzymes, to convert substrates into cannabinoids efficiently, achieving high yields and flexible production without the need for complex chemical synthesis procedures
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach increases the efficiency and purity of cannabinoid production, reducing energy consumption and costs, and allows for the production of a wider range of cannabinoids beyond THC and CBD.
Implementation Method 1
Biosynthesis of cannabinoids and cannabinoid precursors
Implementation Method 2
production of cannabinoids and cannabinoid precursors from fatty acid substrates using genetically modified host cells
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the disclosure relate to biosynthesis of cannabinoids and cannabinoid precursors in recombinant cells and in vitro.