White biotech applications of engineered enzymes

It is commonly believed that the white of a shirt can be only returned by long washing cycles at 95°C. However, the new generation of laundry detergents may also remove stains at low temperatures. They contain enzymes that are happy ‘to eat’ the stains while conserving the energy and making clothes last longer.

In the conventional process for bleaching paper, chlorine dioxide, hydrogen peroxide and ozone are used. These harsh chemicals end in the waste water. Enzymes can be used as alternatives to the chemical process that produce the same results with biodegradable waste while reducing energy consumption.

With the help of SeSaM technology biocatalysts can be developed for the above white biotechnology applications. Other fields of application include: production of fine chemicals and biofuels, cotton processing, toothpaste, stone-wash effect for blue jeans, etc. SeSaM supplies needed enzymes having higher stability for processes at extreme temperatures, pH, salt conditions etc. In addition, SeSaM can be used to change the substrate specificity for novel biosynthetic pathways and for entirely new chemical reactions that were not previously possible in living organisms.