Biotechnologically engineered E. coli bacteria can now produce a group of compounds with anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory activities. This breakthrough was achieved by a research team at Kobe University in Japan.

Plants naturally produce many substances with promising pharmacological properties. For instance, species of rhododendron generate a class of compounds with remarkable anti-cancer, anti-HIV, anti-diabetic, and anti-inflammatory effects. However, sourcing these compounds from plants is unstable and costly, and previous attempts to produce the key compound, oracetic acid, in microbes resulted in disappointingly low yields.

To overcome this, the researchers combined the introduction of selected genes from plants, fungi, and bacteria with metabolic analysis and optimization of culture conditions. Their goal was to establish the first E. coli-based platform for producing these valuable compounds.

In a paper published in Metabolic Engineering, the Kobe University team reported achieving a production level of 202 mg of orseline acid per liter—a 40-fold increase over previous microbial production attempts. This represents not only the highest production level to date but also the first successful synthesis of this key compound in E. coli.

The team also introduced an additional gene from Rhododendron, completing the biosynthesis of a pharmacologically important compound. As a representative example, they focused on glypholic acid, known for its potent anticancer and analgesic properties. While the engineered bacteria successfully produced the target compound, yields remained low, highlighting the need for further optimization.

Tomohisa Hasunuma, leader of the research team, explained: “In the short term, the platform can be directly applied to generate and evaluate related compounds and their derivatives. In the long term, the rational design strategy we employed provides a foundational technology for producing diverse, complex compounds using E. coli.”