Superfood for bees sparks 15 times colony

Scientists have created a revolutionary bee “supervision” by engineering yeast to produce six essential sterols that are normally found in pollen.

The colonies having received this laboratory regime have raised up to 15 times younger than those of standard foods, prosperous with a nutritive profile almost identical to naturally powered diets. The breakthrough offers a lasting way to restore the health of bees at a time when the populations of pollinators collapse, threatening food security worldwide.

The superalation of revolutionary bees could stop the decreases of colonies

A team of researchers led by the[{” attribute=”” tabindex=”0″ role=”link”>University of Oxford, working with Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, the University of Greenwich, and the Technical University of Denmark, has developed a promising approach to address the alarming decline of honeybees. Their work centers on a specially engineered dietary supplement that replicates vital compounds normally obtained from plant pollen. When tested, this supplement was shown to dramatically boost colony reproduction. The findings were released on August 20 in the journal Nature.

Climate Change, Farming, and Bee Nutrition Crisis

Honeybees are struggling in part because climate change and modern farming practices have reduced the variety of flowers they rely on. Pollen makes up the bulk of a bee’s diet and contains lipids known as sterols that are essential for healthy growth and development. With natural pollen supplies increasingly scarce, beekeepers have turned to artificial substitutes. These products, typically made from protein flour, sugars, and oils, provide calories but do not contain the sterols bees require, leaving them nutritionally deficient.

In this study, the scientists genetically modified the yeast Yarrowia lipolytica so it could generate a precise blend of six sterols critical to bee health. They then incorporated the yeast into experimental diets and tested them in controlled feeding trials lasting three months. The colonies were housed in enclosed glasshouses to ensure the bees consumed only the specially formulated diets.

Key Findings:

• By the end of the study period, colonies fed with the sterol-enriched yeast had reared up to 15 times more larvae to the viable pupal stage, compared with colonies fed control diets.
• Colonies fed with the enriched diet were more likely to continue rearing brood up to the end of the three-month period, whereas colonies on sterol-deficient diets ceased brood production after 90 days.
• Notably, the sterol profile of larvae in colonies fed the engineered yeast matched that found in naturally foraged colonies, suggesting that bees selectively transfer only the most biologically important sterols to their young.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw-9lex6go4

Synthetic biology unlocks nutritional solutions

The principal teacher of the author Geraldine Wright (Department of Biology, University of Oxford), said: “Our study shows how we can exploit synthetic biology to resolve the ecological challenges of the real world. Most pollen sterols used by bees are not naturally available in quantities that could be harvested on a commercial scale, which makes it possible to create a nutritionally complete diet which is a substitute for a pool. ”.

The main author, Dr. Elynor Moore (Department of Biology of the University of Oxford, at the time of the study, today Delft University of Technology) added: “For bees, the difference between enriched and conventional food food would be comparable to the difference for humans between balancing meals, franchise fermentation, we are now providing essential nutrients. It is finished on the molecular level. »»

Identify critical nutrients in pollen

Before this work, it was not clear which of the various pollen sterols was essential for the health of bees. To answer this, the researchers chemically evaluated the composition of the samples of fabric samples harvested from adult fees and bees. This required extraordinarily delicate work; For example, the dissection of individual nursing bees to separate the guts. The analysis identified six sterols compounds which systematically constituted the majority of bee tissues: 24-Methyleenlesterol, campsterol, isofucosterol, β-sitosterol, cholesterol and desmosterol.

Using the edition of CRISPR-CAS9 genes, the researchers then designed yeast Yarrowia lipolytica To produce these sterols in a lasting and affordable way. Y. Lipolytica has been selected since this yeast has a high lipid content, has been demonstrated as being in food and is already used to complete Aquaculture foods. To produce the supplement enriched by the sterols, the designed yeast biomass was cultivated in bioreactors, harvested, then dried in powder.

The co-author, Professor Irina Borodina (the NNF Center for Biosustainiabilty, University Technical of Denmark) said: “We have chosen Yarrowia oleaginous yeast lipolytica as a cellular factory because it is excellent for making compounds derived from acetyl-coa, such as lipids and sterers is safely. Steviol acids, glycosides as calorie -free sweeteners, pheromones for antiparasitic control and other products. »»

Protect crops, biodiversity and wild bees

Pollinators and bees contribute to the production of more than 70% of the main global crops. Serious declines – caused by a combination of nutrient deficiencies, climate change, mites, viral diseases and pesticides – are a significant threat to food security and biodiversity. For example, over the past decade, the annual losses of colony of commercial honey bees in the United States have generally varied between 40 and 50% and could reach 60 to 70% in 2025. This new engineering supplement offers a practical means to improve the resilience of the colonies without exhausting more natural floral resources. Since yeast biomass also contains beneficial proteins and lipids, it could potentially be extended to a complete bee diet.

The co-author, Professor Phil Stevenson (RBG Kew and Natural Resources Institute, University of Greenwich), added: “Honey bees are pollinators of extreme importance species By reducing competition for limited pollen supplies. »»

A game changer for farmers and food security

Danielle Downey (Executive Director of APIs of the non -profit non -profit project, not affiliated with the study) said: “We are counting on honey bees to pollinate one in three of our food, but bees are faced with many stress factors. Good nutrition is a way to improve their more complete resistance, and in landscape landscapes. Phytonutrients which, when included in food supplements, allow the breeding of sustained honey bee bees have an immense potential to improve the results for the survival of the colonies, and in turn the beekeeping companies on which we count for our food production. »»

Following steps: field tests and wider applications

Although these first results are promising, other large -scale field trials are necessary to assess the long -term impacts on colonial health and the effectiveness of pollination. Potentially, the supplement could be available for farmers within two years.

This new technology could also be used to develop food supplements for other pollinators or breeding insects, opening new avenues for sustainable agriculture.

Reference: “The technical yeast provides rare pollen sterols but essential for bees” by Elynor Moore, Raquel T. de Sousa, Stella Felsinger, Jonathan A. Arnesen, Jane D. Dyekjær, Dudley I. Farman, Rui Fs Gonçalves, Philip C. Stevenson, Irina Borodina and Geraldine A. Wright, 201025 Nature.
DOI: 10.1038/S41586-025-09431-Y

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