Oxford-Led Engineered Yeast Boosts Honeybee Reproduction Significantly

Scientists from the University of Oxford, in collaboration with Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, University of Greenwich, and the Technical University of Denmark, have engineered a yeast-based feed supplement that produces six essential sterols found in natural pollen, which are vital for honeybee development and reproduction. This breakthrough, published in Nature, showed that colonies fed with the sterol-enriched yeast produced up to 15 times more viable larvae and sustained brood production longer than those on sterol-deficient diets. The sterol profile of larvae from supplemented colonies closely matched that of bees foraging naturally, indicating selective transfer of necessary sterols. Belgian agri-tech company APIX Biosciences has integrated similar phytosterol production technology in its portfolio and developed a Pollen Replacing Feed that reduces colony mortality by 50%, though this product does not yet use the synthetic biology approach described in the recent study. Honeybee populations face severe declines due to habitat loss, climate change, and nutritional deficiencies, with beekeepers reporting significant colony losses, highlighting the urgent need for nutritionally complete supplements. This engineered "superfood" offers a promising, sustainable solution to support honeybee health and pollination vital to global agriculture.