SBIR Phase I: Microbial Production of Selected Anthocyanins

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目“微生物生产选定的花青素”，旨在建立经济高效的方法，从基因工程菌中高效地生产花青素。花青素是植物的次生代谢物，是植物组织中颜色的主要来源，主要是红色、紫色和蓝色。它们无毒，已被观察到具有抗氧化、抗癌和抗炎活性，因此它们在制药、膳食补充剂和食品着色剂行业具有吸引力。随着花青素的益处继续得到定义，对这些化合物的需求呈指数级增长。不幸的是，使用传统技术获得纯净或定义明确的花青素混合物的成本超过了潜在的市场回报。通过使用工程微生物，理论上可以生产大批量的选定花色苷，使化合物分离效率和成本效益。这项研究的更广泛的影响是生产成本效益高的天然和非天然花色苷，其健康益处可以被调查；允许学生参与和培训正在进行的微生物生产平台的开发；促进美国学术机构和美国公司之间的合作，并促进一家小型专业化工公司的扩张。该项目将利用学生创建一种生物合成系统，该系统将产生大量的花青素。当获得这些化合物时，它们将被转移到市场上，在那里它们可以由学术界、工业界和政府机构进一步研究。该奖项由2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project "Microbial Production of Selected Anthocyanins", aims to establish cost-effective methodologies for the efficient production of anthocyanins from genetically engineered bacteria. Anthocyanins are plant secondary metabolites that are mainly responsible for the colors in plant tissues, primarily reds, purples and blues. They are non-toxic and have been observed to possess antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities, thus making them attractive candidates in the pharmaceutical, dietary supplement, and food colorants industries. As the benefits of anthocyanins continue to gain definition, the demand for these compounds is growing exponentially. Unfortunately, the cost of attaining pure or well defined mixtures of anthocyanins using conventional techniques outweighs the potential market return. By using engineered microbes, large batches of selected anthocyanins can theoretically be produced, making compound isolation efficient and cost effective.The broader impacts of this research are to produce cost-effective natural and non-natural anthocyanins, whose health benefits can be investigated; allow students to participate and train in the ongoing development of a microbial production platform; foster a collaboration between a U.S. academic institution and a U.S. company, and contribute to the expansion of a small specialtychemical company. This project will utilize students to create a biosynthetic system that will produce a vast array of anthocyanins. As these compounds are attained they will be moved to the market place, where they can be further researched by academia, industry and governmental agencies.This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).