SBIR Phase II: Development of a novel indigo dye process using biosynthesized molecules

该奖项全部或部分由2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。该小企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目的更广泛影响将是一种环保的纺织品染色方法，为困扰330亿美元全球染料市场的有毒着色剂提供更清洁的替代品-从靛蓝染料开始。品牌和米尔斯都渴望找到一种解决方案，而不需要行业在可持续性和性能之间做出妥协。该项目利用微生物工艺减少染料应用过程中对关键有害化学品的需求，从而最大限度地减少牛仔布染色对人类和环境造成的损害。拟议项目处理靛蓝染料工业中的危险条件和有毒化学品使用问题。靛蓝仍然是牛仔布的唯一蓝色染料，因为它具有美丽的蓝色和独特的褪色性能，这是任何其他染料分子都无法成功复制的。该项目旨在改进一种工程微生物菌株，该菌株通过发酵产生靛蓝染料前体分子;然后将该前体纯化成可供牛仔布米尔斯厂使用的直接靛蓝染料。目标是1）工程化微生物以产生更少的有毒副产物，2）适应菌株以增加其对最终产品的耐受性，以及3）从不确定的复杂培养基组成过渡到完全确定的更便宜的培养基。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2).The broader impact of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be an environmentally friendly method for dyeing textiles, providing a cleaner alternative to the toxic coloring agents that plague the $33B global dye market - starting with indigo dyes. Brands and mills are eager for a solution that does not require the industry to compromise between sustainability and performance. This project uses microbial processes to reduce the need for key harmful chemicals in the dye application process, thus minimizing the human and environmental damage caused by denim dyeing. The proposed project addresses the problem of hazardous conditions and toxic chemical usage in the indigo dye industry. Indigo remains the sole blue dye for denim because of its beautiful blue color and unique fading properties, which has not been successfully replicated by any other dye molecule. This project aims to improve upon an engineered microbial strain that produces an indigo dye precursor molecule via fermentation; this precursor is then purified into a drop-in indigo dye ready for denim mills to use. The objectives are to 1) engineer the microbe to produce less of a toxic byproduct, 2) adapt the strain to increase its tolerance of the final product, and 3) transition from an undefined, complex media composition to a fully defined, more inexpensive medium. This will lead to a more efficient and cost-effective process at scale.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.