BACTERIORHODOPSIN AND CHEMICALLY MODIFIED FILM STRUCTURES BASED ON IT AS COMPONENTS OF INFORMATION SECURITY

Abstract

This work offers an overview of the possibilities of using bacteriorhodopsin in modern information security
systems. The main areas of application include methods of protecting and marking printed documents, use in data and
personnel authentication systems, optical recording and storage of digital information with additional protection options.
Bacteriorhodopsin-based materials allow the creation of high-speed cryogenic high-capacity storage devices. All
information on these devices is irreversibly erased when the media is heated to room temperature, when secret data
requires lability to prevent unauthorized access. The use of bacteriorhodopsin films for polarization recording of
information, in addition to the high capacity of the medium, complicates unauthorized copying, allows the use of reliable
encryption during recording and easy implementation of multiplexing of several data sets on one medium. The properties
of bacteriorhodopsin allow direct laser recording of individualized computer-generated holograms without the use of
templates, which facilitates its use together with other means of protection. The photochromic properties of
bacteriorhodopsin can be exploited to develop inks that undergo color changes upon light irradiation, while modification
of its amino acid sequence may serve as a hidden genetic marker for tracking and authenticating batches of documents.
Various protection methods can be integrated on one carrier, examples of which are also described in the work. This work
demonstrates the significant potential of native bacteriorhodopsin in information security systems, provides an analysis of world literature in this area, summarizes the results of many years of research by the authors, and outlines current
problems and options for their solution in the future.
Keywords: bacteriorhodopsin, photocycle, film structures, photochromism, polarization recording, information
security, information protection.

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