Bacteria That Chomps On Nicotine Can Help Quit Smoking

Move over Nicorette. Nicotine-guzzling bacterium is here. Researchers have discovered an enzyme that could one day help smokers quit without much effort.

The bacterium Pseudomonas putida found in the soil of tobacco fields consumes nicotine to meet its nitrogen and carbon needs. Researchers studying the bacterium discovered in it an enzyme that can break down nicotine, and has traits that allow exploiting the enzyme as a therapeutic for smoking cessation.

"Our research is in the early phase of drug development process, but the study tells us the enzyme has the right properties to eventually become a successful therapeutic," said The Scripps Research Institute Prof. Kim Janda who led the study.

Researchers tested the effectiveness of the enzyme, called NicA2, in mice serum combined with a nicotine dose-equivalent of one cigarette. Addition of the enzyme to the serum reduced nicotine half-life from three hours to just 15 minutes. Researchers believe that with a few modifications, the enzyme could help keep nicotine from reaching a smoker's brain, preventing smokers from experiencing withdrawal symptoms when attempting to quit smoking.

The enzyme also showed it can remain stable in serum and in lab conditions exceeding 98 degrees Fahrenheit. Importantly, it does not produce any harmful metabolites when it breaks nicotine down. These traits render it amicable for drug use.

Researchers now plan to study ways to make the enzyme human-compatible before it can be used as a potential drug candidate.

The study was published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.