The HaloEd ProjectA web site dedicated to biotechnology education |
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Patents
Halophiles make great candidates for biotechnology and have been used as the basis for over 160 US patents since 1976, such as:
1. 6,008,051 Recombinant vector and process for cell flotation 2. 5,824,309 Recombinant gas vesicles and uses thereof 3. 5,290,699 Double mutants of bacteriorhodopsin
Production of recombinant gas vesicles for: Separation, antigen presentation, and
vaccine development
Large-scale production (in settings such as salterns,) of: Biopolymers, novel enzymes, and proteins Genetic
engineering of plants to increase their salt tolerance Development of stable enzymes for catalysis (organic solvents)
Development of purple membrane films for holography -bio-computer chips: In the presence of sunlight, bacteriorhodopsin and retinal move protons out of the cell. This in turn creates a "proton gradient," in which there are more protons outside the cell than inside. When protons move back into the cell through a proton channel, ATP, the energy currency for the cell, is produced.] in Halobacterium could create a fast, matchbox-sized optical storage device that could store 480 gigabytes, which is more than 1,000 times larger than today's typical PC hard disk drive.
Extraction of
carotene for use as food supplements or food coloring
Use of “longevity” genes for extension of shelf-life of food products
Use for clean up of polluted sites. |
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