Flies genetically engineered to eat lots of human waste are on the way
There are attempts to manipulate the genes of flies to increase the types of organic waste they can eat. This will allow for more efficient processing of organic waste such as food waste produced by humans, and there are also plans to use the grown flies for human benefit.
Diverting organic waste from landfills via insect biomanufacturing using engineered black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) | Communications Biology
Australian scientists genetically engineer common fly species to eat more of humanity's waste | Australia news | The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/article/2024/jul/24/australian-scientists-genetically-engineer-common-fly-species-to-eat-more-of-humanitys-waste
While feeding fly larvae on food scraps and agricultural waste has already been tried and tested commercially using the black soldier fly, a team of Australian scientists is genetically engineering the flies to increase both the organic matter they can eat and the specific enzymes they produce after eating.
Macquarie University's Maciej Maselko and his team conducted experiments with Drosophila melanogaster and succeeded in secreting 'laccase' in genetically engineered Drosophila melanogaster. Laccase can be used in textile processing and pharmaceuticals, and can also decolorize dyes used in industrial wastewater treatment. By decolorizing dyes that block light transmission, it is possible to promote photosynthesis in microorganisms in waterways through which wastewater flows. It has also been shown that laccase may enable flies to biodegrade lignin in plastic alternatives.
In addition, Maselko and his team have succeeded in biodegrading methylmercury by manipulating Drosophila melanogaster to express microbial enzymes called organomercury lyase and mercury reductase derived from Escherichia coli. If this can be applied to Drosophila black soldier fly, it may be possible to purify organic waste contaminated with mercury.
In addition, by expressing certain enzymes, it may be possible to use the flies as fertilizer for crop growth. Regarding concerns that the genetically modified flies might escape and pose a risk to the environment, Masselko said, 'We could genetically modify the flies to remove their flight ability.'
'Further research is needed to develop the black soldier fly so that it can be used to produce high-value biomolecules from many types of organic waste,' said Maselko and his colleagues. 'Organic waste is a globally abundant resource, and further development of this technology could potentially be applied to operations and infrastructure that generate industrial waste.'
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