Zymergen Inc.
INSECTICIDAL PROTEIN DISCOVERY PLATFORM AND INSECTICIDAL PROTEINS DISCOVERED THEREFROM

Abstract:

The disclosure presents a platform for discovering novel insecticidal proteins from highly heterogeneous environmental sources. The methodology utilizes metagenomic enrichment procedures and unique genetic amplification techniques, which enables access to a broad class of unknown microbial diversity and their resultant proteome. The disclosed insecticidal protein discovery platform (IPDP) can be computationally driven and is able to integrate molecular biology, automation, and advanced machine learning protocols. The platform will enable researchers to rapidly and accurately access the vast repertoire of untapped insecticidal proteins produced by uncharacterized and complex microbial environmental samples. Also presented herein are a group of newly discovered pore-forming toxins (PFT) from a rare class of insecticidal proteins, which were discovered utilizing the insecticidal protein discovery platform.