SBIR Phase I: Effectiveness of Peptidyl Membrane Interactive Molecules (Peptidyl MIMs) in Preventing Disease Caused by Perkinsus Marinus in Crassostrea Virginica

这项小型企业创新研究的第一阶段项目旨在确定一种特定的Demeter Peptidyl MIM是否可以用于控制东方牡蛎（珍珠贝）中的海蚀斑孢杆菌。这种病原体是美国中大西洋沿岸牡蛎死亡的主要原因。从马萨诸塞州到佛罗里达州的平均收成大约是20世纪60年代以前的10%。因此，墨西哥湾已成为美国东部牡蛎的主要产地。然而，在这些水域中，牡蛎携带的丰富弧菌一直存在问题。免疫功能低下的消费者因食用生牡蛎而生病，每年都有一些人因此死亡。由于这个原因，大西洋中部地区的许多牡蛎加工商现在拒绝从墨西哥湾购买牡蛎，而被迫从西海岸购买太平洋牡蛎（C. gigas），用于“生蚝”贸易。已经证明，某些专有化合物和技术在体外对一系列原核生物和真核生物微生物病原体有效，且对健康细胞无毒。首席研究员已经证明了这种在体外对抗海丝桃的有效性，而不会杀死处女c.f irica血细胞。第一阶段的目的是确定在活牡蛎中哪种Demeter Peptidyl MIMs（膜相互作用分子）最有效地对抗海洋波金索菌。在专门为此目的建立的牡蛎培养设施中，牡蛎将以不同的间隔和剂量暴露于病原体和三种预先筛选的肽基mlm中，以了解杀死病原体的效果如何，当暴露于肽基mimm时生物体不受病原体影响的时间长短，以及肽基mimm对牡蛎的毒性有多大。当marinus被控制时，当地种植的东部牡蛎可能会再次主宰这个价值数百万美元的市场。为了商业化的目的，将尝试与其他组织建立合资企业。收入将采用利润分成的形式。此外，该项目开发的任何局部抗原生动物技术都可以在国际上用于其他水产养殖应用。

9561368 Weeks-Perkins This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project is designed to determine if a specific Demeter Peptidyl MIM can be used to control Perkinsus marinus in Eastern Oysters, crassostrea virginica. This pathogen is the primary cause of oyster mortalities along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. From Massachusetts to Florida the average harvest is about 10% of what it was prior to the 1960's. As a result the Gulf of Mexico has become the main source for oysters in the Eastern United States. However, in those waters there has been an ongoing problem with the bacterium Vibrio fulnificus, which is carried by oysters. Immunocompromised consumers have become ill from eating raw oysters and each year there are some deaths. For this reason many oyster processors in the mid-Atlantic region now refuse to buy from the Gulf and are forced to buy Pacific oysters (C. gigas) from the West Coast for the "raw bar" trade. It has been demonstrated that certain proprietary compounds and technologies are effective in vitro against an array of procaryotic and eucaryotic microbial pathogens at levels which are non-toxic to healthy cells. The Principal Investigator has demonstrated this effectiveness against Perkinsus marinus in vitro without killing C. virginica hemocytes. The objective of Phase I is to establish which Demeter Peptidyl MIMs (Membrane Interactive Molecules) are most effective against Perkinsus marinus in live oysters. In an oyster culture facility specifically set up for this purpose, oysters will be exposed both to the pathogens and three prescreened Peptidyl MlMs at different intervals and doses to find out how effective is the killing of the pathogen, how long the organism remains unaffected by the pathogen when exposed to the Peptidyl MIMs , and how toxic the Peptidyl MIMs are to the oysters. When P. marinus can be controlled, locally grown Eastern oysters may again dominate this multi-million dollar market. A joint venture with other organiz ations will be attempted for commercialization purposes. Income will be in the form of profit sharing. Further, any topical anti-protozoal technologies developed as a result of this project may be spun off for other aquacultural applications internationally.