The process would be cleaner in another way. Current indigo production starts with petroleum. But the microbes thrive on cheap and plentiful glucose.
Grad students Tammy Hsu and Zachary Russ worked in a greenhouse last summer, planting seeds, harvesting about a pound of green leaves from a Japanese indigo plant and grinding them up. "As you grind the leaves," Dueber says, "they turn into a blue paste because you have released indican from its sugar cage."
Dueber’s project is supported by a five-year Bakar Fellowship. Since he is in the early stages of the novel indigo project, he needs the time the multi-year support provides to work out the science and then develop a viable commercial strategy.
"Moving our lab's research to market is something I have not been trained to do," he says. "I’m excited to be part of this fellowship that connects us with people who can help us identify exactly what we should be filing patents on, and how much proof-of-concept work should be done before we file."
He's also finding that the practical business guidance is just what his students are looking for. "They want to move their research into the commercial world. For the next five years, they'll be able to learn from experts who know this world. It's a fantastic opportunity for all of us."
When indigo's chemical precursor is applied to cotton cloth, a single enzyme can free indigo to dye a white bear to blue. Photo: John Dueber
The Berkeley indigo research started in 2013 as an entrant in an undergraduate competition called iGEM — the International Genetically Engineered Machines. Dueber advised the Berkeley team. Five undergrads and two graduate student mentors advanced the research, demonstrating that the planned chemical steps could be made to work efficiently and that indican can make a good dye. They received a gold medal and advanced to participate in the world competition.
"Students want to make a difference with their research," Dueber says. "We're still going to focus our research on academically interesting questions, but when there are industrial applications, we want to be aware of that. We'd all like to see our indigo research lead to greener blue jeans."
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