We engineer safe probiotics to deliver targeted benefits for human health. Because natural probiotics don’t prioritize our needs, we leverage genetic engineering to design modern solutions to modern problems with precision, safety, and reliability.
Harnessing the power of microbes
Key Takeaways
We use genetic engineering to turn safe, well-studied microbes into predictable, purpose-built tools that work for us.
Engineered probiotics enable the delivery of enzymes and other functional proteins that are too fragile for a pill or powder.
The process is grounded in biology, decades of scientific precedent, and rigorous safety validation.
Microbes have evolved over billions of years to acquire traits that help them survive. One way they do this is by taking up DNA from their environment—a process called competence—and incorporating it into their genomes through homologous recombination. Scientists have studied these natural processes for decades, and in recent years, have learned to direct them with remarkable precision. This inherent ability makes microbes ideal candidates for genetic engineering, allowing us to introduce beneficial traits that enhance their capacity to support human health.At ZBiotics, we start with a safe, commonly consumed bacteria, Bacillus subtilis. We use the natural processes of competence and homologous recombination to create purpose-built, engineered probiotics with targeted benefits for humans, whether that’s helping your body process acetaldehyde or converting sugar into fiber. Unengineered probiotics can potentially create benefits, but they usually focus on their own survival, so any benefit to us is incidental and inconsistent. Genetic engineering lets us reliably direct what a strain does for you, even when that benefit isn’t what the bacteria would normally prioritize. In short, natural bacteria work for themselves—we engineer them to work for you.
It’s important to note that while ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol is the first genetically engineered probiotic to hit the market, this technology isn’t new. Scientists have been giving bacteria new traits for the past 50+ years in research, clinical, and industrial settings. And bacteria have been exchanging traits amongst themselves for literally billions of years.But why are we looking to engineer probiotics at all? What unique benefits can they provide to our bodies?The answer lies in a special type and subtype of molecule: proteins and enzymes. These are the workhorses of biology—they drive nearly every process that keeps us alive, from digesting food to powering our cells. They are powerful tools for human health. But they need to get into the body intact to be impactful. Unfortunately, many of them degrade quickly and aren’t stable enough to function on their own, meaning you can’t just put them in a pill and expect them to work. Only a few, like lactase in lactose-intolerance products, are even remotely stable. Engineered probiotics address this challenge by acting as tiny living factories. We engineer them to continually produce and deliver a specific set of proteins and enzymes—and their beneficial functions—right where they’re needed in the body. This approach unlocks a whole world of molecules that could never be delivered off the shelf (as they would not survive the journey to places in your body, like your gastrointestinal tract, intact). Genetic engineering presents a new set of tools to tackle modern problems.So how do we do it?
Process
Ideation
Our process begins with curiosity. We ask questions of our entire team and potential customers, such as: What problems do we want to solve? What are unmet needs that could reasonably be solved with biology? What kinds of modern problems can an engineered probiotic uniquely address?
Hypothesis
Once we’ve identified a potential benefit, we form a hypothesis. We start by asking a few key questions: Which genes are responsible for the function we’re targeting? Can those genes come from safe sources—for example, not from any pathogens? Will they work in a way that’s meaningful and effective inside the human body? And can we achieve this safely and with minimal engineering? You can read more about our ongoing commitments to safe and transparent genetic engineering here.
Build
With our hypothesis in place, we begin building the probiotic. We use the bacteria’s natural DNA-editing processes (outlined below) to create a stable, testable probiotic built to deliver the benefit we’re targeting. Here’s what the process looks like:
Design the genetic sequence
Synthesize the DNA
Transform the DNA into Bacillus subtilis
Screen for the new gene
Screen for the desired activity
Test
Next, we run a wide range of laboratory experiments to confirm that our strain performs exactly as intended—and at the right level of activity. Using whole genome sequencing, we also verify that no unintended changes were made to its genome. We then run a battery of safety tests informed by FDA regulation, submit our key data for peer review (i.e., here and here), and assemble all data into a safety dossier that’s reviewed by an independent panel of food toxicologists to ensure an unbiased safety review of our products. Finally, we set rigorous safety and quality standards, and just as we do for every batch we produce, we test the strain and the final product to those standards.
Visit our Quality page to learn more about the rigorous tests we run on every ZBiotics product.
Technique
In Nature
Bacteria have naturally honed the ability to take up DNA from the environment (natural competence) and precisely insert that DNA into their genome (homologous recombination). We leverage that ability to craft each new strain.
Natural Competence
Some bacteria have an innate ability to take up DNA from their surroundings. To do so, these bacteria enter a state of being called “competence,” during which they are more likely to bring new DNA from the outside world into their cell wall. At this point, the cell has the DNA inside of it, but it hasn’t yet incorporated it into its genome. Bacillus subtilis enters a state of competence naturally, meaning that at any given time, a subset of cells within a population is in the competent state. This is important for the natural evolution and survival of many species of bacteria, temporarily pausing growth to focus on acquiring and using new DNA. This bet-hedging strategy helps the population adapt to changing environments.
Homologous Recombination
Bacteria can seamlessly integrate that foreign DNA into their own genome using a process called “homologous recombination.” This process works by recognizing matching sequences (unique combinations of As, Ts, Cs, and Gs) in both the foreign DNA and their own DNA. Once a match is found, the bacteria can swap out the corresponding section of their own DNA for the new foreign sequence, much like a highly precise “find and replace” in a word processor. This allows them to incorporate useful genetic changes with remarkable accuracy.
In the Lab
To create a genetically modified organism (GMO) using these processes, we start by designing a piece of DNA carrying our gene of interest—the gene we want to add to the bacteria—flanked by sequences identical to those in our probiotic’s genome at the specific location we’re targeting. These matching “bookends” guide the bacteria to precisely insert the new genetic trait in the correct spot. Because B. subtilis is naturally competent, some cells will naturally take up this DNA from their surroundings. Once the DNA is inside, homologous recombination takes over: the bacteria recognize the matching sequences, replace the original section with the new one, and seamlessly integrate the change. This approach leverages the bacteria’s own biology for highly targeted and predictable genetic engineering.
Validation
Engineering the strain is only the beginning—the next critical step is validation. We rigorously test each engineered probiotic to confirm that it performs exactly as intended. In our lab, we assess probiotic health to verify the stability of the microbes, use techniques to visualize proteins like SDS-PAGE gels and western blots to confirm an enzyme is produced, and run activity assays to ensure the strain is working as intended. We also sequence the full genome to ensure the strain is exactly what we designed, with no unintended changes. Beyond these core checks, we are continually expanding the ways we validate our strains, both through advanced methods developed in-house and in collaboration with external experts. This comprehensive validation ensures that every strain we create is not only functional, but also consistent, safe, and reliable.
In Summary
Genetic engineering allows us to give probiotics precise, purpose-built abilities that nature alone might never prioritize—like breaking down harmful compounds or producing beneficial molecules exactly where and when they’re needed. In this capacity, GMOs aren’t just a tool for agriculture or medicine; they’re a way to unlock the full potential of safe, well-studied microbes to solve everyday health challenges. ZBiotics is demonstrating just how powerful genetic engineering can be when it’s applied with precision, safety, and purpose—transforming trusted microbes into targeted solutions for real-world problems. Because the approach is targeted, predictable, and grounded in decades of scientific research, it offers both safety and reliability. We believe this is the future of probiotics: living solutions designed with intention, powered by biotechnology, and tailored to meet the needs of modern life.
Lab Notes
How We Engineered a Probiotic to Break Down Acetaldehyde
How to Keep Your Microbiome Healthy During the Holidays
Exercising the Day After Drinking Alcohol
You probably have some questions
We deal with some complex subject matter. Here are some common questions we get about who we are and what we do.
Will this change my DNA?
No. This product does not interact with your DNA in any way. The probiotic works in your digestive system and never enters your cells or affects your genome.
Is this made using CRISPR?
No. CRISPR systems originally evolved in bacteria as a natural defense against viruses, and modern biotechnology has adapted them into a powerful gene-editing tool. We don’t use CRISPR in our probiotics because it isn’t necessary for what we’re doing. Instead, we take advantage of other natural bacterial processes like competence and homologous recombination, which allow us to make precise, targeted genetic changes in a simpler way.
Are GMO probiotics safe?
Yes. Safety comes first. Every batch is produced under strict quality standards and tested to confirm identity, purity, and performance before it ships. You can learn more about our testing and quality controls on our Quality page.
Does it stay in my gut or change my microbiome?
No. ZBiotics probiotics do not colonize your gut or permanently alter your microbiome. They enter your digestive system, do its job, and naturally exit—similar to other transient probiotics.
How is this different from the probiotics I already take?
Conventional probiotics are typically strains found in nature that are chosen for broad digestive support. They aren’t designed to perform a particular task, and their benefits depend on what they happen to do once inside the gut. ZBiotics probiotics are engineered with a clear job to do, enabling targeted, predictable effects.
How do you know there aren’t unintended genetic changes?
We verify the genetic makeup of the strain to ensure only the intended changes are present using next-generation sequencing. This includes rigorous testing and validation as part of our manufacturing and quality control process. No hidden edits. No surprises.
How do you choose which genes to use?
We start with a specific function we want the probiotic to perform. From there, we look for genes that are already known to carry out that function in nature and are well understood in the scientific literature. We select genes with clear mechanisms, established safety profiles, and a history of use in microbial systems, then adapt them to work reliably in our probiotic strain.
Why engineer Bacillus subtilis instead of another probiotic?
Bacillus subtilis is one of the most studied probiotic species in the world. It’s stable, resilient, safe for human consumption, and well-suited for transient use—meaning it doesn’t permanently colonize the gut. In other words: dependable, predictable, and purpose-built.