Yeast Magic: Turning Milk Sugar into Medicines

Yeasts are tiny powerhouses. They've been helping humans make bread, beer, and wine for ages. Now, scientists are using them to make medicines too.

A New Role for Kluyveromyces lactis

One such yeast, Kluyveromyces lactis, is known for its work in the dairy industry. But now, it's being used in a new way. Scientists have developed a method to use this yeast to make proteins without needing the whole cell. This is called a cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) system.

The Process

1. Growing the Yeast

   • The process starts with growing the yeast using lactose, the sugar found in milk.
   • This makes it sustainable and cost-effective.

2. Preparing Extracts

   • The scientists then prepared extracts from the yeast.
   • They tested different combinations to find the best mix for making proteins.

3. Testing Combinations

   • They used a method called Latin Hypercube experimental design to test 128 unique combinations.
   • This is like trying out many different recipes to find the best one.

The Goal

The goal was to make two proteins:

• One that glows green (green fluorescent protein).
• Another that helps make red blood cells (erythropoietin).

The Results

• The scientists found that their best mix made four times more protein than the standard mix.
• They ended up with 54 nM of erythropoietin, which is a good amount for a lab setting.

Potential Applications

This new method could be useful in many ways:

• It could help make biosensors, which are like tiny detectors.
• It could be used to make medicines on a large scale.
• The use of lactose makes it eco-friendly and cheap.

This study shows that yeast can be more than just a baking ingredient. It can be a tool for making important proteins.