Scientists have made a breakthrough in synthetic biology by engineering a hybrid of bacteria and yeast that can perform photosynthesis, generate energy, and grow without relying on traditional carbon sources. The creation of these hybrids, which are called cyanobacteria-yeast chimeras, is significant as it opens up new pathways for non-petroleum-based energy production and synthetic biology applications. The team, led by University of Illinois professor Angad Mehta, incorporated photosynthetic cyanobacteria into yeast cells, allowing the hybrids to produce sugars and energy from CO2. This innovation has paved the way for the creation of organisms that can thrive on CO2, producing valuable compounds like limonene, a hydrocarbon with significant commercial value. The team plans to continue refining the process to produce more complex compounds and explore ways to scale it up for commercial viability. This breakthrough also has the potential to help solve some of biology’s greatest mysteries by replicating evolutionary processes within the lab. The researchers are excited about the possibilities and potential applications of this technology, which could lead to a new era of sustainable energy production and biotechnology.
Here’s a rewritten version of the headline: Breakthrough in Biotechnology: Scientists Combine Bacteria and Yeast to Revolutionize Energy and Pharmaceutical Industries
