Scientists made morphine using a home brewing kit

By figuring out how to genetically modify yeast, scientists were able to use a home-brewing kit to make morphine.

In the journal Nature Chemical Biology, the team wrote that while microscopic yeast turns sugars into alcohol, by borrowing DNA from plants, they were able to genetically engineer yeasts so they could convert sugar into morphine. At first, the researchers had difficulty producing an intermediary chemical called reticuline, but scientists at the University of California, Berkeley, were able to tweak that part of the process, and now all of the steps are complete.

Researchers say this brewing method could simplify the process of making morphine, and would eliminate the need for some ingredients, like poppies. The findings could also help scientists modify steps so they could develop new types of painkillers.

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