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 [HOME > HOW BIOTECH WORKS > BACTERIA AND THEIR APPLICATIONS]      
The importance of bacteria to mankind has been well recognized for many years. Primarily exploited for their ability to produce specific enzymes, bacteria have also been used to produce secondary metabolites of economic benefit.

In recent years with the advent of genetic engineering organisms such as E.coli have been utilized for the expression of cloned gene products. This has particular relevance with respect to the production of specific pharmaceuticals, such as somostatin, a human growth hormone.

Bacteria have also been investigated as possible producers of fine chemicals such as acetone, ethanol, and gases (methane), and for the production of Single Cell Protein (SCP).
 
 
 [FUTURE APPLICATIONS]      
Recent advances arising from the human genome project will provide information for future control of genetic elements, expression patterns, and solutions to problems such as systemic infections and antibiotic resistance.

Furthermore, as more becomes known about the structure and immunogenic properties of polysaccharide fractions in the bacterial cell wall, possibilities for the development of therapeutics will be enormous. Further bacterial applications will include the transfection of plants (the insertion of genes into plants) for the purpose of increasing resistance to disease and pests.
 
 

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