[Lead author Stephen] Wallace and his research team at the University of Edinburgh managed to trigger a natural process within a living Escherichia coli bacterium — a chemical reaction that until now had only been observed in test tubes. Specifically, they achieved the transformation of acid-derived molecules into key compounds used in drug production — such as paracetamol — through a process known as the Lossen rearrangement. The team succeeded in reproducing this reaction inside bacteria using only the microbes themselves, without relying on complex laboratory catalysts. "The interesting thing is that we didn’t have to teach the bacteria how to do the reaction: the trick was realizing they already had the tools and just had to be guided," Wallace explains.

... although the scientists believe their work shows “exciting potential,” there is still a long way to go before this microbe-made paracetamol is ready for medical use.