Genetically Modified Yeast for Cannabinoid Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing cannabinoids, such as chemical synthesis and plant extraction, face challenges including high costs, environmental concerns, and difficulties in reproducing consistent cannabinoid profiles, leading to impurities in pharmaceutical products.
Innovation Solution
Genetically modified yeast strains are developed to produce cannabinoids by incorporating specific genes for GPP, olivetolic acid, cannabinoid precursors, and Hexanoyl-CoA production, with a focus on increasing fatty acid content to enhance cannabinoid yield and purity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If chemical synthesis is used to produce cannabinoids, then high purity single cannabinoid is achieved, but production cost increases and environmental harm occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses genetically modified yeast as an intermediary organism to produce cannabinoids. The yeast is engineered with plant cannabinoid biosynthesis genes, serving as a living factory that converts simple substrates into high-purity cannabinoids through biological pathways, avoiding both chemical synthesis costs and plant extraction impurities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the production parameter from chemical or plant-based to microorganism-based synthesis. By modifying yeast genetic parameters and cultivation conditions, the system achieves high-purity cannabinoid production at lower cost with reduced environmental impact
2Ease of manufacture
If plant extraction is used to produce cannabinoids, then production cost is reduced, but cannabinoid profile consistency deteriorates and impurities increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces genetically modified yeast as an intermediary that produces cannabinoids through controlled biological pathways. This intermediary system ensures consistent cannabinoid profiles by using engineered metabolic routes, eliminating the variability inherent in plant extraction while maintaining cost-effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent copies the cannabinoid biosynthesis pathway from plants into yeast cells. By transferring and replicating the essential plant genes (such as CBGAS, THCAS, CBDAS) in a controlled microbial host, the system reproduces plant cannabinoid production with enhanced consistency and purity
3Object-affected harmful factors
If plant cultivation is used to produce cannabinoids, then environmental harm is reduced, but reproduction of consistent cannabinoid profiles becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses genetically modified yeast as a controllable intermediary that reproduces plant cannabinoid pathways under standardized laboratory conditions. This eliminates environmental variables affecting plant growth while maintaining the beneficial environmental profile of biological production
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the production environment from variable plant cultivation conditions to controlled microbial fermentation parameters. By optimizing yeast growth conditions, substrate composition, and genetic expression, the system achieves reliable and reproducible cannabinoid profiles with reduced environmental impact
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the production of cannabinoids in yeast. In as aspect there is provided a genetically modified yeast comprising: one or more GPP producing genes and optionally, one or more GPP pathway genes; two or more olivetolic acid producing genes; one or more cannabinoid precursor or cannabinoid producing genes; one or more Hexanoyl-CoA producing genes, and at least 5% dry weight of fatty acids or fats.