Would you buy yeast perfume? Microbes were used to create the fragrance.

Microorganisms obtained through genetic manipulation may soon replace flowers as a source of perfume ingredients. What's more, they will be able to recreate the scents of long-extinct plants. Something that smells a bit like freshly cut grass , a bit like a bouquet of flowers, is actually a blend of microorganisms. This innovative perfume was created in the Ginkgo BioWorks laboratories in Boston. Yeast was genetically manipulated to smell like roses. The creators had one goal in mind: to create a substitute for rose oil, used in luxury perfumes. Why yeast? It takes several tons of flowers to produce a kilogram of rose oil. The quality and price of the oil fluctuate annually, influenced by crop failures, natural disasters, plant diseases, and the labor market. Microbial cultures are a cheaper option and offer a more stable product. What is the process of making rose yeast?

1. Genes responsible for the production of enzymes (which produce fragrance substances) have been identified in the rose genome.
2. The genes are inserted into the yeast genome.
3. The same enzyme can be produced by a rose or another plant. Using a different plant may yield even better results.
4. Yeast samples are sent for evaluation.
5. The final product is to be a yeast strain that will produce the perfect rose scent.

But first, engineers must deal with the characteristic sour smell of yeast. Is Boston the only one working on growing perfume? Ginkgo isn't the only biotech company looking to develop perfumes. California-based Amyris is working with Swiss company Firmenich on patchouli oil. Another California-based company, Allylix, has taken on vetiver oil, an extract from an Indian perennial herb. What other unusual possibilities are there for cultivated scents? Cultured products could replace synthetic fragrances made from petrochemicals. For example, a research team at the University of California modified E. coli DNA to create bacteria that smell like bananas and blueberries. Genetic modification also offers the opportunity to recreate fragrances from exotic plants, such as the jungle orchid, which resists cultivation, as well as from amber – a secretion of the sperm whale, an expensive and valued ingredient by perfumers. Biologists at Ginkgo are already thinking about reconstructing the scent of extinct plants. They will do this using DNA preserved in permafrost.