science · 31 March 1981 · 43 years ago
In 1981, a new single cell genetically engineered life form patent was issued to Ananda Chakrabarty (U.S. No. 4,259,444). The Pseudomonas bacterium (now called Burkholderia cepacia) can be used to clean up toxic spills because it can break down crude oil into simpler substances that can even become food for aquatic life. This ability is possessed by no naturally occurring bacteria. A 16 Jun 1980 U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case "Diamond vs. Chakrabarty" held that forms of life can be patented if they are the outcome of "human ingenuity and research" and not "nature's handiwork." The ruling, made by a majority of five to four, cleared the way for patents to be issued also on genetically-engineered mice and other animals.
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