Bactories (bacterial factories) are the future of probiotics, where a genetically engineered probiotic is made to produce a specific molecule. This can be a vitamin, enzyme, or drug, but directly inside the persons body. No more pills, or needing to bypass the stomach. One of the things that makes bactories unique is that we edit bacterial strains that are already commonly found in our microbiome, this then lets us have longer term viability (months or possibly years) where a single course of the microbes is able to continue producing its desired output molecule in the body. Additionally operons are used to trigger the release of the desired molecule only in the presence of what is specified in the operon.
Click below on the – What are Bactories?
Bactories currently being commercialized are H2-probiotic which will produce therapeutic levels of hydrogen gas in the intestine, in a controlled way so not to cause issues from too much gas being produced at one time.
A genetically modified probiotic (strains being tested now) which is able to produce vitamin B12 (hydroxocobalomin) directly in the intestines. Hydroxocobalomin is a special form of b12 that can neutralize cyanide and also go down the pathway for either methylcobalomin or adenocobalomin which are the two bioactive forms of b12.