US scientists have found a way to cook at home morphine – BBC Russian

James Gallagher Bi-bi-si

• 19 May 2015

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For the production of 10-mg dose of morphine required 100 liters of genetically modified yeast

Scientists have developed a method of converting sugar into morphine using a genetically modified yeast.

The US and Canadian biologists with the help of genetic engineering yeast forced to go through all the necessary steps to turn sugar into morphine.

The study, published in the journal Nature Chemical Biology, inspire doctors, but at the same time simplify the manufacture of drugs in the home.

The experts called for stricter control of substances that are genetically modified to produce drugs.

” Breaking Bad “in a new way

If you want to brew beer at home, you will inevitably need yeasts convert sugar into alcohol.

However, taking the DNA of plants, scientists We were able to make the yeast pass all necessary steps to convert sugar into morphine without opium.

One of the stages of the process – the production of a chemical intermediate called reticulin – has long been a stumbling block for scientists.

To solve the problem the team managed the University of California at Berkeley. According to them, it now remains only to connect all the steps and “cook” morphine.

An aqueous solution of the hydrochloride salt of morphine – a narcotic drug, known as morphine.

“In terms of fermentation us you must be able to combine the yeast and glucose, which is a cheap source of sugar, and make them go through all the chemical steps required for the preparation of the desired drug, “- says bioengineer Dr. John Duber.

There are fears that the scientists simplify the discovery of illegal drug production

“With the help of our research is now all the steps described, and now can only connect them all and increase the scale of production”.

“It is not a trivial task, but it is doable,” – he explains .

Great Expectations

So far, morphine obtained from opium poppies.

Morphine plays an important role in alleviating the suffering of many patients, However, its production is necessary to grow poppies.

A new type of morphine may eventually be much easier to produce. In addition, it will allow scientists to start developing new painkillers.

The extensive use of microscopic organisms for the production of medicinal products is not new in medicine.

While the analgesic is manufactured mainly from opium poppies

Insulin for people with diabetes for decades produced from genetically modified bacteria.

However, concerns were expressed that a new method for the manufacture of morphine facilitate the illicit production of drugs in the home.

Basic skills

In principle, anyone who has access to a strain of yeast and basic skills in fermentation, can produce morphine, using a kit for making beer at home, “- said in a comment in the journal Nature.

The publication calls for closer monitoring of the spread of genetically modified yeast.

Professor Paul Freemont, director of the Center for Synthetic Biology and Innovation at Imperial College London, says: “I create these strains yet technically difficult, but in the future, who knows? So now the important point – how we are going to regulate the turnover of these strains? “