Introduction

Bacterial S-layer proteins exhibit interesting properties. Among these, their functionalization by means of carotenoids has enormous industrial potential. This patent describes a method for the isolation of the carotenoid deinoxanthin, a powerful antioxidant, from the protein DR_2577, previously isolated from the S-layer of Deinococcus radiodurans.

Technical features

Surface(S)-layer are a paracrystalline repetition of one or several proteins that coat the outermost surface of some bacterial species. These proteins have interesting characteristics. Among them, a high industrial potential is given by the functionalization by carotenoids that confer protective properties. This patent describes a method for the isolation of the carotenoid deinoxanthin, which is a powerful antioxidant, from the protein DR_2577 previously isolated from the S-layer of Deinococcus radiodurans. This method represent a “proof of concept” that can be applied to the infinite variety of carotenoids-binding S-layers present in nature.

Possible Applications

• Medicine;
• Biotechnology;
• Nanotechnology;
• Cosmetics;
• Pharmaceutics.

Advantages

• Large scale production and in high purity of natural carotenoids;
• Large scale production of natural carotenoids still not present in the market;
• Carotenoids production from biological sources without recombinant technologies.