Next generation biopesticides for environmentally benign control of crop pests

该项目的目的是将创新研究转化为商业产品，用于控制英国和欧洲的作物病虫害。学术合作伙伴开发了一种平台(融合蛋白技术)，将自然产生的蜘蛛毒肽转化为口服有效的杀虫剂。已知的毒肽对哺乳动物无害，当无脊椎动物摄入所产生的融合蛋白时，毒肽与一种“载体”蛋白相连，载体蛋白将附着的蜘蛛毒素通过肠道运输到循环系统，在那里它可以进入中枢神经系统的目标作用部位。该项目将通过发酵基因工程酵母来生产商业规模的融合蛋白。这种方法可以用来产生一种新的环境友好型杀虫剂，对蜜蜂等非目标生物无害。我们最初的计划将开发针对小麦和油菜的鼻涕虫和甲虫害虫的配方。

The aim of this project is to translate innovative research into commercial products for the control of UK and European crop pests. The academic partners have developed a platform (fusion protein technology) that converts naturally occurring spider venom peptides into orally effective pesticides. Venom peptides, known to be harmless to mammals, are linked to a ‘carrier’ protein, when the resultant fusion protein is ingested by invertebrates the carrier protein transports the attached spider toxin across the gut and into the circulatory system where it can access its target site of action in the central nervous system. The project will produce fusion proteins on a commercial scale by fermentation of genetically engineered yeast. This approach can be used to generate a new class of environmentally friendly pesticides that are harmless to non-target organisms such as bees. Our initial programme will develop formulations targeting slugs and beetle pests of wheat and oil seed rape.