Scientists Revive Extinct Cannabis Enzymes to Trace the Drug’s Ancient Origins.
Scientists have successfully resurrected long-extinct cannabis enzymes, revealing how the plant first evolved the ability to produce compounds like THC, CBD, and CBC millions of years ago.
Using a method called ancestral sequence reconstruction, researchers from Wageningen University & Research rebuilt ancient enzymes that existed before modern cannabis evolved. When tested in the lab, these enzymes proved more flexible and resilient than today’s versions, capable of producing multiple cannabinoids at once rather than specializing in just one.
The findings suggest early cannabis plants relied on “promiscuous” enzymes that later evolved into the highly specialized cannabinoid-producing systems seen today. Beyond solving an evolutionary mystery, the work could help scientists engineer new medicinal cannabis varieties or produce rare cannabinoids more efficiently using biotechnology.
The study also shows that cannabinoid-producing enzymes evolved independently in cannabis and other unrelated plants, highlighting nature’s tendency to reinvent useful chemistry.
Source: Published in: Plant Biotechnology Journal
Date: 13 January 2026
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"content": "Scientists Revive Extinct Cannabis Enzymes to Trace the Drug’s Ancient Origins.\n\nScientists have successfully resurrected long-extinct cannabis enzymes, revealing how the plant first evolved the ability to produce compounds like THC, CBD, and CBC millions of years ago.\n\nUsing a method called ancestral sequence reconstruction, researchers from Wageningen University \u0026 Research rebuilt ancient enzymes that existed before modern cannabis evolved. When tested in the lab, these enzymes proved more flexible and resilient than today’s versions, capable of producing multiple cannabinoids at once rather than specializing in just one.\n\nThe findings suggest early cannabis plants relied on “promiscuous” enzymes that later evolved into the highly specialized cannabinoid-producing systems seen today. Beyond solving an evolutionary mystery, the work could help scientists engineer new medicinal cannabis varieties or produce rare cannabinoids more efficiently using biotechnology.\n\nThe study also shows that cannabinoid-producing enzymes evolved independently in cannabis and other unrelated plants, highlighting nature’s tendency to reinvent useful chemistry.\n\nSource: Published in: Plant Biotechnology Journal\nDate: 13 January 2026\nhttps://cdn.minds.com/fs/v1/thumbnail/1858138560887513088/xlarge/\n",
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