Glossary

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Cyanophycin

A storage protein produced by cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) and some other bacteria

Cyanophycin consists of polyaspartate und arginine, two non-toxic, biodegradable raw materials that have a wide variety of industrial uses. Polyaspartate can be used instead of acrylic-acid-based plastics. Until now these two amino acids have been chemically synthesised in small quantities for industrial applications.

It is thought that by introducing the gene for cyanophycin synthesis – the enzyme that produces cyanophycin – into potatoes, it will be possible to obtain polyaspartate and arginine more cheaply and on a larger scale.