The Daily Adrian

cannabis Biotechnology
April 19th, 2023

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Biotechnology is a vast field that encompasses the use of living organisms, cells, and biological processes to develop new technological applications. In this newsletter we will explore some of the modern advances of biotechnology in the cannabis industry and their implications [1].

Biotechnology has a long history that dates back to early practices such as animal domestication, plant cultivation, and selective breeding programs that involve hybridization and artificial selection to enhance their characteristics. The applications of biotechnology are incredibly diverse, ranging from agriculture and food production to medicine and health care, environmental management, and industrial manufacturing [1]. Through a combination of scientific disciplines such as genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, and microbiology, biotechnology harnesses our understanding of living systems and puts them at the service of our society. In medicine, it has played a crucial role in the development of new treatments, as well as the production of vaccines and diagnostic tools. In industrial manufacturing, biotechnology has led to the production of bioplastics, biofuels, and other sustainable materials that can replace traditional petroleum-based products. In agriculture, modern biotechnology has led to the development of genetically modified crops that are resistant to environmental stress agents like pests and drought, which has helped increase crop yields and improve food security [2].

Modern biotechnology has revolutionised many fields and the cannabis industry has not been spared. Many academic researchers and companies are exploiting biotechnological advances to fully unlock the potential of this plant. Besides conventional plant breeding, one of the applications of biotechnology to cannabis is the genetic engineering of plants to produce crops that possess enhanced characteristics compared to their natural counterparts. This type of technology has been applied successfully to many crops, such as rice or potatoes, but has been lagging in the cannabis industry because of the legal status of the plant [3] (newsletter 2). Specifically for cannabis, genetic engineering of plants could help fine tune the chemical profile of the plant (newsletter 4). This does not mean necessarily boosting THC levels, but could also mean producing plants with higher CBD/THC ratio or no THC at all, which is often required to comply with regulations [4]. Another application of modern biotechnology to the cannabis world consists in the production of cannabinoids in genetically modified microorganisms. In fact, microorganisms such as yeast, fungi or bacteria can be engineered to become microscopic factories that produce the desired chemical compounds. This is the sort of technology that has been used for the production of biofuels, antibiotics and other industrially relevant chemicals that it would be impossible, or costly, to produce otherwise. Recently, researchers demonstrated how it is possible to modify yeast for the complete synthesis of some major cannabinoids, including THC and CBD [5]. Furthermore, the authors also showed that, by controlling the type of compounds fed to the yeast, it was possible to synthesise new variations of cannabinoids that have never been observed  in nature. This will allow researchers to better understand the structure-function relationship of cannabinoids and their receptors, and could potentially lead to the development of cannabinoids-based medicines with a better pharmacological profile for patients. Moreover, these research efforts could enable large-scale fermentation of cannabinoids in the future without the need of growing a cannabis plant. Bypassing agricultural production of cannabinoids could have profound impact on the industry, eliminating challenges such as the vulnerability of plants to climatic conditions and diseases, the lack of standardised Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), low concentration of less common cannabinoids, and legal and social concerns regarding the potential illicit use of the plant [6].

Another biotechnological alternative to the agricultural production of cannabis consists in the cultivation of cannabis cells in vitro. This term refers to the cultivation of cannabis tissue outside of the plant, in large tanks filled with liquid nutrients called bioreactors. Until recently, in vitro cultivation of cannabis was only achieved in small-scale research laboratories [3]. This changed in October 2022, when the Israeli company BioHarvest Sciences announced the successful replication of cannabis cells in bioreactors [7]. Specifically, the company managed to grow trichomes, the cannabis cells responsible for the production of cannabinoids and terpenes, independently of the plant. After three weeks, the biomass was harvested and dried into a material that contained cells identical to the ones present in the cannabis plant, containing higher concentrations of THC and CBD than the source plant itself. The concentration of minor cannabinoids, such as THCV and CBN, was also increased significantly in BioHarvest’s product; the total amount of cannabinoids was increased from 3% to 36% [8].

This technology is still in development but, if successful, could represent a breakthrough in the cannabis industry. It would allow to grow only the part of cannabis needed for therapeutic and recreational applications, in much less time and irrespective of seasonality, and with a drastic decrease in the resources needed. Furthermore, the company claims to be able to modulate the final chemical composition of the harvest by adjusting the growth conditions in the bioreactor, developing a product tailored to the industry’s need. This could lead to the development of cannabis based products beyond smokable pot: from oils to creams, to food and beverages, cosmetics and supplements [8]. In addition to similar advantages brought by the use of modified microorganisms, the growth of cannabis cells in bioreactors does not require genetic manipulation, as the cells already possess the metabolism necessary to produce cannabinoids. In-vitro plant growing also does not require extraction and filtering of compounds from cells, a necessary time-consuming step when working with bacterial cultures [9]. The use of bioreactors is expected to become a more sustainable alternative to traditional growing methods, as it also uses less land, water and electrical energy than an agricultural field. Still, this alternative farming technology does have some disadvantages. The high cost of the equipment and the specialised knowledge required to operate it can make it difficult for small-scale growers to adopt this method of plant propagation, and will likely be limited to larger establishments.

In conclusion, the integration of biotechnology in the cannabis industry has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities, from genetic engineering to in vitro cultivation. These innovations have the potential to revolutionise the cannabis industry, enabling growers to produce cannabis products more efficiently, sustainably, and cost-effectively than ever before. Notably, biotechnology can also aid in furthering scientific research into the therapeutic potential of cannabis. As research continues and technology improves, it is likely that biotechnology will continue to play a pivotal role in shaping the cannabis industry, leading to new discoveries, products, and applications that will benefit both medical and recreational users. 

Sources

1.       Verma, A.S., Agrahari, S., Rastogi, S. & Singh, A. Biotechnology in the realm of history. J Pharm Bioallied Sci 3, 321-3 (2011).
2.       Tyczewska, A., Woźniak, E., Gracz, J., Kuczyński, J. & Twardowski, T. Towards Food Security: Current State and Future Prospects of Agrobiotechnology. Trends in Biotechnology 36, 1219-1229 (2018).
3.       Hesami, M. et al. Advances and Perspectives in Tissue Culture and Genetic Engineering of Cannabis. Int J Mol Sci 22(2021).
4.       Herrington, A.J. New Gene Technology Allows Growers To Boost THC Levels In Cannabis. in Forbes (2022).
5.       Luo, X. et al. Complete biosynthesis of cannabinoids and their unnatural analogues in yeast. Nature 567, 123-126 (2019).
6.       Carvalho, Â., Hansen, E.H., Kayser, O., Carlsen, S. & Stehle, F. Designing microorganisms for heterologous biosynthesis of cannabinoids. FEMS Yeast Res 17(2017).
7.       Jeffay, N. Cloned cannabis cells with 12 times more potency are grown in Israeli bioreactor. in The Times of Israel (2022).
8.       Sobel, I. BIOHARVEST INTRODUCES ITS 1ST CANNABIS BREAKTHROUGH COMPOSITION WITH MAJOR MEDICAL AND COMMERCIAL IMPLICATIONS.  2023 (2022).
9.       Technology – bioharvest sciences. BioHarvest Sciences – (2023)

Sources

1.       Verma, A.S., Agrahari, S., Rastogi, S. & Singh, A. Biotechnology in the realm of history. J Pharm Bioallied Sci 3, 321-3 (2011).
2.       Tyczewska, A., Woźniak, E., Gracz, J., Kuczyński, J. & Twardowski, T. Towards Food Security: Current State and Future Prospects of Agrobiotechnology. Trends in Biotechnology 36, 1219-1229 (2018).
3.       Hesami, M. et al. Advances and Perspectives in Tissue Culture and Genetic Engineering of Cannabis. Int J Mol Sci 22(2021).
4.       Herrington, A.J. New Gene Technology Allows Growers To Boost THC Levels In Cannabis. in Forbes (2022).
5.       Luo, X. et al. Complete biosynthesis of cannabinoids and their unnatural analogues in yeast. Nature 567, 123-126 (2019).
6.       Carvalho, Â., Hansen, E.H., Kayser, O., Carlsen, S. & Stehle, F. Designing microorganisms for heterologous biosynthesis of cannabinoids. FEMS Yeast Res 17(2017).
7.       Jeffay, N. Cloned cannabis cells with 12 times more potency are grown in Israeli bioreactor. in The Times of Israel (2022).
8.       Sobel, I. BIOHARVEST INTRODUCES ITS 1ST CANNABIS BREAKTHROUGH COMPOSITION WITH MAJOR MEDICAL AND COMMERCIAL IMPLICATIONS.  2023 (2022).
9.       Technology – bioharvest sciences. BioHarvest Sciences – (2023)