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Development of a BtBooster Synergist for Bt Transgenic Plants

Award Information
Agency: Department of Agriculture
Branch: N/A
Contract: N/A
Agency Tracking Number: 2010-00287
Amount: $90,000.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 8.2
Solicitation Number: N/A
Timeline
Solicitation Year: N/A
Award Year: 2010
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
425 RIVER RD
Athens, GA 30602
United States
DUNS: 145182767
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Mohd Amir Abdullah
 Senior Research Scientist
 (706) 540-6590
 mamir@insectigen.com
Business Contact
 Clifton Baile
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Phone: (706) 542-4094
Email: cbaile@insectigen.com
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Insecticidal efficacy is a major insecticide market driver. In 2004, InsectiGen, Inc. announced a scientific breakthrough, BtBooster, a new technology that enhances the performance of the leading biopesticide, Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt). Although extended efforts to improve Bt biopesticides have led to the discovery of over 250 cry genes, only a few are deployed in Bt plants. BtBooster is a peptide obtained from a cadherin of Manduca sexta (tobacco hornworm) and has no known or predicted toxicity to living organisms. It also has no homology to known allergens. Yet BtBooster can synergize the potency of Bt toxins and has potential as an additive to current Bt crops. Previous research results demonstrated that two early forms of BtBooster could enhance Bt toxicity and could also partially overcome Bt resistance in a Bt-resistant strain of Plutella xylostella (diamondback moth). The commercially relevant biotechnical hypothesis behind this project is that co-expression of Bt and BtBooster together or in separate cellular compartments in transgenic plants will produce substantial increases in insect mortality relative to toxin expression alone. In this proposal, we will examine expression of Cry1Ac and a new protease-stabilized form of BtBooster together in the cytoplasm and separately in the cytoplasmic and apoplastic compartments in a model plant species to find the optimal Bt/BtBooster co-expression pattern. The goal is to demonstrate enhanced efficacy of co-expression of Bt and BtBooster within a model plant. We envision it will broaden opportunities for Bt-based insect control by overcoming Bt expression limitations in Bt crops.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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