Scientists Genetically Engineer Yeast To Produce Morphine-Like Painkiller
It commonly takes around a year to create painkillers from opium poppies , as first they have to be grown , harvested , embark around the world and finally processed . This calendar week , however , researchers have been able to foreshorten this time down to just a few day , by genetically engineering yeast to do it instead . What normally happens is that by processing the poppies , scientist get the chemical substance thebaine , which they then plough into the opioid hydrocodone , a widely used pain pill ....