Prokaryotes programmed to produce paracetamol avoid pervasive petrochemicals

As fossil fuel usage is phased out to meet climate policy goals, an emerging challenge is discovering alternative synthesis routes for valuable chemicals manufactured using petrochemicals. With this in mind, researchers in China have genetically engineered Escherichia coli to generate the well-known painkiller paracetamol, starting from glucose or glycerol rather than benzene derivatives.