The future of sunscreens will have octopuses as camouflaged protagonists

Cephalopod camouflage could inspire new natural sunscreens, new study suggests.

The remarkable ability of octopuses, squids and cuttlefish to change color and merge with the surrounding environment could revolutionize products beyond paints and sensors: we are talking about sunscreens.

The key to this phenomenon lies in a natural pigment called xanthomatinaessential for the camouflage mechanism of these cephalopods. Scientists have just developed an unprecedented technique to manufacture the pigment, which to this day is considered scarce and with slow and reduced production.

The team led by By Leah Busha chemical biologist at Stanford University, discovered a way to multiply the production of the compound in the laboratory until a thousand times more than was possible until now, using only genetically modified bacteria.

The study, in the journal Nature Biotechnology, describes how researchers created a bacterium that can only survive if it produces xanthomatin and formic acida substance that fuels its growth. The process creates a self-sustaining cycle: the bacteria grows only if it generates pigment.

Large quantities of a previously rare material such as xanthommatine make it possible to study it as an antioxidant, pigment or substance with color-changing properties in different products, say the authors, who are already collaborating with a cosmetics company and exploring practical uses in paints and sensors, according to .

The interest goes beyond the cosmetic sector: the United States Department of Defense has also shown curiosity about the pigment’s potential, particularly its camouflage properties.

The researchers also believe that the method could be applied to other chemical substances, helping to replace petroleum-derived materials with bio-based alternatives.