Yeast is being used to produce components that support plant adaptation to the environment. WAKU in Minamisoma has confirmed the production and recovery of glutathione through experiments [Fukushima Prefecture]

WAKU Co., Ltd. , headquartered in Minamisoma City, Fukushima Prefecture , announced on October 27, 2026, that it had experimentally confirmed the production and recovery of glutathione using fission yeast (scientific name: Schizosaccharomyces pombe )

Glutathione is a substance found in the cells of plants, animals, and microorganisms. WAKU has already developed and is using this ingredient in its agricultural product, "WAKUFUL."

This announcement concerns research findings on a technology to produce glutathione itself, which is also used in agricultural materials, using fission yeast. We will introduce the uses of glutathione and the findings confirmed in this research

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What is glutathione useful for?

Glutathione is a substance composed of three amino acids: glutamic acid, cysteine, and glycine. It is involved in maintaining the redox state within cells and responding to environmental stress

For plants, it is a component involved in root formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient absorption

developed by WAKU, is a biostimulant containing glutathione. It is an agricultural material aimed at enhancing the natural functions of plants and supporting their growth.

The company states that the oxidized glutathione contained in "WAKUFUL" promotes the synthesis of reduced glutathione in plants,supporting the plants' natural mechanisms for adapting to the environment. It also lists the product's features as improved response to environmental stresses such as high temperature and drought, as well as improved root development, photosynthesis, and nutrient absorption.

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In addition to developing agricultural materials, we are also developing glutathione production technology

"WAKUFUL" is a product that has been on the market since before this announcement. This research not only focuses on utilizing glutathione in agriculture, but also advances the development of the technology to produce glutathione itself

In the production of substances using microorganisms, we utilize the function of microorganisms to synthesize substances within their cells. The system involves cultivating microorganisms to produce the desired component, and then recovering and utilizing the resulting component

WAKU is conducting research on the development and cultivation of fission yeast strains and the recovery of substances. In this study, they analyzed samples obtained by culturing fission yeast and confirmed the production and recovery of glutathione

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Why use "fission yeast"?

Budding yeast, known for its use in bread and beer production, reproduces by sprouting from a parent cell. Fission yeast, on the other hand, is a microorganism that creates a partition in the center of its cell, dividing into two and reproducing in that way

Fission yeast has been widely used in life science research, but its industrial applications are limited compared to budding yeast. WAKU focuses on the metabolic functions of fission yeast, which differ from those of budding yeast, and is developing technology to utilize them in the production of high-performance materials

It should be noted thatthe ability of fission yeast to synthesize glutathione has been known from previous academic research. This announcement is positioned as an advancement in research and development aimed at translating that ability into practical substance production.

In addition to developing glutathione production technology, the company plans to explore and develop new molecules utilizing the biosynthetic pathways of fission yeast

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Research in Minamisoma, manufacturing of agricultural materials in Hanamaki

WAKU conducts plant cultivation trials, soil analysis, and breeding and culturing of fission yeast at its research base in Minamisoma City. The manufacturing of its existing product, WAKUFUL, is handled at its base in Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture

The company plans to focus on improving glutathione production efficiency, expanding the cultivation scale, stabilizing quality, and reducing production costs

Furthermore, starting with research and development in the agricultural sector, the plan is to explore the possibility of applying this technology to food, healthcare, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and other fields. This latest result is merely a confirmation at the experimental stage, and technological development toward industrialization will continue

Source:Press releases from WAKU Corporation,Technology introductions from WAKU Corporation,Research and Development from WAKU Corporation

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