Development of an E. coli-based norbaeocystin production platform and evaluation of behavioral effects in rats
Metabolic Engineering Communications March 11, 2022 Alexandra M. Adams, Nicholas A. Anas, Abhishek K. Sen et al. 21 citations
Psilocybin and other psychedelic compounds are being studied for therapeutic use, but little is known about norbaeocystin, a pathway intermediate, due to difficulties obtaining it. Researchers developed a new E. coli platform to produce gram-scale amounts of norbaeocystin, finding that even minor genetic changes required reoptimization of production. In vivo tests on Long-Evans rats showed a dose response to psilocybin, but norbaeocystin did not elicit any pharmacological response, suggesting it and its metabolites may not strongly bind to the serotonin 2A receptor. This work enables future studies of norbaeocystin in animal models and supports the safety of using cell broth as a drug delivery vehicle.