Scientists teach bacteria the octopus’s secret to camouflage

Scientists at UC San Diego successfully engineered bacteria to mass-produce xanthommatin, the natural pigment that gives octopuses and squids their remarkable color-changing camouflage abilities. By linking bacterial survival to pigment production, researchers achieved yields 1,000 times greater than previous methods, producing up to three grams per liter compared to traditional methods that yield just five milligrams. This breakthrough could enable sustainable applications in cosmetics, defense materials, and photoelectronics while advancing nature-inspired biotechnology.