Coimbatore: The new method developed by two Bharathiar University scholars to get Feomelanin from bacteria, spinverrucosus streptomyces, has been given a recent patent.
Feomelanin is one of the three basic types of melanin found in animals and humans.
It is responsible for yellow, pink to red based on concentration.
In humans, this pigment occurs in a relatively large amount on the lips.
It also contributes red hair pigmentation.
Residents around the world get Feomelanin from bird feathers, and human hair and animals for various studies.
However, it is not feasible to get it on an industrial scale.
The method found by Assistant Professor K Preethi and Research in Bachelor Patheesh from the University of Bharathiar can produce it on industrial scale.
Preetethi said that they took land samples from Chennai beach and Visakhapatnam.
They chose land from the beach since the activity of organisms on the land will be high.
He said that the present invention relates to refining FeMelanin from the culture of supernatant (liquor that stretches above the solid residue) of the spinverrucosus streptomyces bacteria.
Pheomelanin has not been purified and marked by a source of bacteria until now.
Pheomelanin is not commercially available and this process can be used to produce high amounts of feomelanin.
This discovery has the potential in various applications including treatment of skin disorders such as vitiligo and albinism.
Pheomelanin can also function as a natural red pigment source for use in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industry, he said.
It was a fruit of a three-year study, which began in 2015.
They submitted a patent application in 2018, which was approved on January 27, 2022, after the supervision process and complicated screening.
The cell director of the intellectual property of the University of T Parimelazhagan said that it was the seventh patient obtained by the University.
Fourteen more patients submitted by the university are still under supervision, he said.
Traitor – Chancellor of the University of P Kaliraj appreciates Preethi and Satheesh.