Ancient Cannabis Enzymes Brought Back to Life in Lab

Scientists in the Netherlands have brought back to life enzymes from cannabis plants that lived millions of years ago. The team at Wageningen University used lab methods to rebuild these old enzymes, which make the plant's main compounds: THC, CBD, and CBC. This work shows how cannabis changed over time and opens doors for better medicines.

Background

Cannabis plants today make THC, CBD, and CBC through special enzymes. Each enzyme handles one compound. THC gives the high feeling, CBD helps with pain and swelling without the high, and CBC fights swelling and seizures. But millions of years back, things worked differently.

Early cannabis ancestors had enzymes that did many jobs at once. These old enzymes took a starting molecule called CBGA and turned it into several cannabinoids together. Over time, the plant's genes copied themselves. This let the enzymes split into experts, each focusing on one compound. The change made cannabis chemistry sharper.

Researchers figured this out by looking at DNA from today's plants. They worked backward to guess the shape of ancient enzymes. Then they built those shapes in the lab. The enzymes came alive and worked as expected. This is the first hard proof of how cannabis got its power to make these compounds.

The study also shows cannabis made this skill on its own. Other plants like rhododendrons make similar compounds, but through different paths. Cannabis found its way separately.

Key Details

The team rebuilt three main ancient enzymes, called cannabinoid oxidocyclases. These turn CBGA into THC, CBD, or CBC. In tests, the old enzymes proved flexible. One could make parts for all three compounds from the same starter.

Modern enzymes are picky. The THC one only makes THC, and so on. But the ancient ones mixed it up. They were also tougher. Labs had an easy time making them in yeast cells. Today's enzymes are harder to grow that way.

One Enzyme Stands Out for CBC

One rebuilt enzyme was special. It made CBC better than others. CBC has promise for swelling, pain relief, and fighting germs. But today's cannabis plants make very little of it naturally. No variety has high levels.

"At present, there is no cannabis plant with a naturally high CBC content," said Robin van Velzen, a scientist on the team. "Introducing this enzyme into a cannabis plant could therefore lead to new medicinal varieties."

The researchers also tinkered with the ancient enzymes. They mixed parts to find key changes that made modern ones. This points to exact spots in the proteins that shifted over time.

The work happened through a method called ancestral sequence reconstruction. It pulls old protein recipes from new DNA data. The team tested the enzymes step by step. Results matched the evolution story.

What This Means

These ancient enzymes could change how we get cannabinoids. Labs can use them to make THC, CBD, and CBC without growing plants. Yeast or bacteria with these enzymes might pump out compounds faster and cheaper. That fits with the push for biotech over farming, as rules and supplies shift.

For plant breeders, the CBC enzyme offers a path to new strains. Add it to cannabis, and you get plants rich in CBC for medicines. Early tests link CBC to less swelling, fewer seizures, and pain control. More study will tell how strong these effects are.

The findings fill gaps in cannabis history. They show cannabinoid making started in a recent ancestor. Before that, early plants lacked this skill. Evolution added it through gene copies and tweaks.

Biotech firms eye this for drugs. strong ancient enzymes mean reliable production. Hybrid versions from the study already show new tricks. Key amino acid changes explain the shift to specialists.

Doctors might see new options soon. Cannabis medicines grow in use for pain, swelling, and more. Easier CBC could add to the mix. But full trials lie ahead to prove safety and strength.

Plant science gets a boost too. The method works beyond cannabis. Rebuild old enzymes to trace other plants' paths. It could unlock more natural compounds for health.

The team published results in a journal for plant biotech. More tests will check if these enzymes scale up for real use.