Engineered 'Superfood' Supplement Enhances Bee Colony Reproduction, - BIOENGINEER.ORG

Scientists from the University of Oxford and Royal Botanic Gardens Kew have developed an innovative yeast-based nutritional supplement to address the global decline in honeybee populations.

The research team engineered Yarrowia lipolytica yeast using CRISPR technology to produce essential sterols—crucial lipid compounds that bees need for healthy development but are increasingly scarce due to habitat loss and agricultural intensification. The breakthrough supplement addresses a critical nutritional gap in commercial bee feeds, which typically lack these vital molecular components found in natural pollen.

• Colonies fed the sterol-enriched supplement produced up to 15 times more viable larvae compared to control groups
• The engineered yeast successfully replicated the complex sterol profiles found in natural pollen sources
• Field trials demonstrated continuous brood rearing for three months versus 90 days for untreated colonies
• The scalable production method could revolutionize commercial beekeeping and reduce pressure on wild pollinator populations

This precision nutrition approach offers hope for strengthening bee colonies that pollinate over 70% of major food crops, potentially reducing annual colony losses that often exceed 40-50% in regions like the United States while supporting broader ecosystem health.