Scientists Working on ‘Green’ Sunscreen Using E. Coli
Engineered bacteria raised gadusol output nearly 93 times, and the compound showed antioxidant activity comparable to vitamin C, researchers said.
- Researchers at Jiangnan University in China engineered Escherichia coli bacteria to produce gadusol, a natural UV-protective compound. Led by study lead author Ping Zhang, the team developed microbial "cell factories" to create a sustainable, scalable manufacturing process.
- Gadusol occurs naturally in the eggs of zebrafish and other marine organisms, helping them survive intense sunlight. Extracting this scarce compound from nature is inefficient and environmentally costly, prompting scientists to seek a greener production method.
- By tweaking genetics and growth conditions, Zhang increased gadusol yield by nearly 93 times, from 45.2 milligrams per liter to 4.2 grams per liter. This dramatic improvement demonstrates the lab's success in scaling production.
- Experiments showed gadusol possesses antioxidant properties comparable to vitamin C, potentially neutralizing cell-damaging free radicals. Study co-author Ruirui Xu noted a color-based screening test allows researchers to quickly identify high-producing bacterial strains.
- Researchers expect products containing gadusol could appear on the market within two years, though regulatory approval and safety testing remain required. James Gagnon at the University of Utah, who discovered gadusol's sunscreen role, called the development promising.
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Chinese scientists working on ‘green’ sunscreen using E. coli
Gadusol, found in the eggs of various fish and other marine organisms, helps protect against ultraviolet damage.
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Scientists working on ‘green’ sunscreen using E. coli
Gadusol, found in the eggs of various fish and other marine organisms, helps protect against ultraviolet damage.
Natural sunscreen found in fish eggs can be made by E. coli factories
Genetically altered bacteria can synthesise gadusol, a naturally occurring compound found in zebrafish eggs that could be developed as an alternative to existing sunscreen products that can harm marine life
Now, a research published in Trends in Biotechnology points out that humans could be a step away from using it as well, as so far its extraction was inefficient and involved environmental costs. Researchers at the University of Jiangnan, China, have designed ‘bacterial factories’ to produce this compound in a sustainable way. Authors consider that over time it could become a potential ingredient of sun creams and be used in cosmetics for its ant…
Synthesizing a Natural Sunscreen and Antioxidant in E. coli
Researchers at Jiangnan University have engineered microbial “cell factories” to sustainably produce the UV-protective compound gadusol, a compound that could eventually serve as a sunscreen ingredient and an antioxidant additive. Found in the eggs of various fish and other marine organisms, gadusol helps protect against ultraviolet damage. However, “it is scarce in nature, and extracting it is inefficient and can carry environmental costs,” sai…
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