STTR Phase I: Stabilization of a Protein Toxin - An Essential Step in the Commercialization of an Innovative Method for Controlling Zebra Mussels

STTR 第一阶段：蛋白质毒素的稳定化——控制斑马贻贝创新方法商业化的重要一步

• 批准号: 0610252
• 负责人: Robert Sparks
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Particle and Coating Technologies, Inc.
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-07-01 至 2007-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0610252&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: STTR; Phase; Stabilization; Protein; Toxin

This Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) Phase I research project will develop a method for long-term stabilization of this highly specific biopesticide for control of zebra mussels. This project represents an industry/research institute collaboration to commercialize a novel microbial agent, pseudomonas fluorescens strain CL0145A (Pf-CL0145A). Pf-CL0145A cells do not kill zebra mussels by infection, but rather by intoxication, and to minimize environmental concerns, a dead-cell formulation of Pf-CL0145A is the targeted commercial product. Evidence indicates that a protein in the cell wall is lethal to zebra mussels. Cells, however, lose their toxicity within days at room temperature, suggesting that this proteinaceous biotoxin quickly degrades. This project will develop methods to achieve long-term stabilization of this biotoxin. Commercially, the application is in the commercialization of this innovative biopesticide for the control of zebra mussels. With zebra mussels having a billon dollar annual impact in North America, the potential benefit of this technology to industry would be considerable, allowing the control of zebra mussel infestations in raw water intakes without the detrimental environmental impacts of currently used biocides. The project will advance knowledge of downstream processing of microbes containing a thermally-sensitive compound. This stabilization research could thus well serve as a model for subsequent projects seeking to stabilize bacterial proteins. A contribution to scientific training and knowledge will be fostered by involving graduate and undergraduate students in the project.

这项小型企业技术转移研究（STTR）第一阶段研究项目将开发一种长期稳定这种高度特异性生物农药的方法，用于控制斑马贻贝。该项目代表了一种新型微生物剂——荧光假单胞菌CL0145A （Pf-CL0145A）的工业/科研合作商业化。Pf-CL0145A细胞不会通过感染杀死斑马贻贝，而是通过中毒杀死斑马贻贝，为了最大限度地减少对环境的影响，Pf-CL0145A的死细胞配方是目标的商业产品。有证据表明，细胞壁中的一种蛋白质对斑马贻贝是致命的。然而，细胞在室温下几天内就会失去毒性，这表明这种蛋白质生物毒素会迅速降解。该项目将开发实现这种生物毒素长期稳定的方法。在商业上，该应用是用于控制斑马贻贝的这种创新生物农药的商业化。斑马贻贝在北美每年带来10亿美元的影响，这项技术对工业的潜在好处将是相当可观的，它可以控制原始水源中斑马贻贝的侵扰，而不会对目前使用的杀菌剂造成有害的环境影响。该项目将推进含有热敏化合物的微生物下游加工的知识。因此，这项稳定研究可以很好地作为寻求稳定细菌蛋白质的后续项目的模型。通过让研究生和本科生参与该项目，将促进对科学训练和知识的贡献。