Scientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine
Recorded: May 24, 2026, 11 p.m.
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Scientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine - News and events, University of York Skip to content Menu Close Search Close Study Study with us Undergraduate Find a course Undergraduate courses Life at York Accommodation Research Research with impact Research excellence Business Solved with York Access expertise About A university for public good Departments, offices and sections Search Search the website Most viewed Accommodation Staff and students Staff home Student home VLE Departments Locations Global York University of York Mumbai Europe campus Online News and events NewsEventsFeaturesStatementsPress Office contacts HomeNews and eventsNews2026 newsResearchScientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine Scientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine News Posted on Monday 18 May 2026 Scientists have uncovered how tobacco plants naturally make nicotine, solving a mystery that has puzzled researchers for nearly two centuries.
The puzzle of how tobacco plants produce nicotine ha been around since the late 1820s The discovery, published in Nature Communications, could lead to safer production of medicines and vaccines using tobacco plants, without the unwanted nicotine. Media enquiries +44 (0)1904 322029 s.martin@york.ac.uk Research newsletterOur monthly research newsletter features a curated mix of news, events, and recent discoveries delivered straight to your inbox.Sign up Explore more news News Analysis reveals overseas environmental toll of uk consumption 22 May 2026 British demand for everyday global commodities can be linked to more than 29,000 hectares of deforestation worldwide in a single year, with tens of thousands of hectares stripped directly from overseas ecosystems. News Last orders? York residents asked to share their experiences of the British pub to map over a century of change 19 May 2026 More than 100 years after Seebohm Rowntree’s landmark study of poverty and social life in York, researchers are once again using pubs to reassess the city’s social fabric. News Scientists solve 200-year-old puzzle of how tobacco plants make nicotine 18 May 2026 Scientists have uncovered how tobacco plants naturally make nicotine, solving a mystery that has puzzled researchers for nearly two centuries. News Study reveals one of world’s first cities prospered as wealth-gap shrank 18 May 2026 New research reveals that the 4,000-year-old city of Mohenjo-daro defied the ‘rules’ of history by becoming more equal as it became more successful. News Double take: Scientists solve the mystery of “hyperfamiliar” faces 12 May 2026 Imagine walking down the high street and feeling a powerful spark of recognition for almost every person you pass. Read more news News University of YorkYorkYO10 5DDUnited Kingdom Campus map Search the website Information for Prospective students Study with us Undergraduate Popular links About the University © University of York Legal statements |
Scientists have resolved a mystery spanning nearly two centuries regarding the mechanism by which tobacco plants naturally synthesize nicotine. This discovery, published in Nature Communications, holds significant promise for biotechnology by offering a pathway to produce pharmaceuticals and vaccines from tobacco plants free from the unwanted nicotine contamination. The puzzle of nicotine production has persisted since nicotine was first extracted from plants in the late 1820s, yet the precise biological pathway remained unknown. The research successfully uncovered the missing genes and enzymes necessary for tobacco plants to build the nicotine molecule, which was achieved by recreating the process in laboratory settings and within living plants. The core of the discovery centers on the initial formation of nicotine, which is attached to a glucose molecule that provides the necessary energy for the building blocks to assemble. A crucial overlooked step in this synthesis involves the removal of this glucose molecule, which appears to vanish during the final step of the process. Furthermore, Benjamin Schwabe, a University of York PhD student and first author of the study, identified the specific structures of two plant enzymes, NaGR and NicGS, which are responsible for assembling the nicotine molecule from smaller precursor pieces. These precursors originate from two distinct metabolic routes within the plant: one derived from a vitamin-like compound and the other from an amino acid related to protein building. Dr. Benjamin Lichman of the Centre for Novel Agricultural Products at the University of York elaborated on the implications of this work, noting that understanding this process opens new avenues for utilizing tobacco plants in biotechnology for producing valuable products. He suggested that this new knowledge allows researchers to either remove or repurpose the naturally produced nicotine to create superior biotechnological tools. Additionally, there is exciting potential to adapt this nicotine-forming system to synthesize useful pharmaceutical compounds. This research is particularly relevant given that a close relative of tobacco, Nicotiana benthamiana, is already being explored in molecular farming to produce life-saving drugs and vaccines, suggesting a future where tobacco plants can be utilized for medicinal applications rather than solely for tobacco products. |