Title:
Applications of Genetic Code Expansion for Development of Biocatalysts for Value-added Pulse Meal Processing
Agreement Value:
$25,000.00
Agreement Date:
Mar 20, 2020 - Mar 31, 2021
Description:
The team proposes to apply state-of-the-art Genetic Code Expansion (GCE) technology to develop an industrial biocatalytic component system for application to the sustainable removal of undesirable anti-nutritional/palatability factors during the processing of pulse meal. GCE is an emerging bio-based technology, poised to dramatically expand the potential of synthetic biology by enabling the coding of biologicals with an expanded set of building blocks, and thus a vastly expanded array of novel biochemistries. This translates into precision engineering of biological technologies (therapeutics, biocatalysts, biopolymers), with a breadth of specificities, stabilities and efficiencies far beyond what natural biology can effect.
The team will help to provide the necessary components to enable GCE in two recombinant systems, E.coli and S. cerevisiae that will be compiled. Genes encoding the biocatalytic components will be individually mutated such that each optimized full length component will only be obtained with the successful incorporation of the un-natural building blocks. In the short term of this one-year project, incorporated synthetic biochemistries will test the potential to use ncAAs to enhance the catalytic activity of the relevant biocatalysts. In the longer term, the team hopes to assess the potential to stack additional modifications for stability and re-usability as well, for development of an overall sustainable, cost-effective biocatalyst to apply to the bioprocessing of lower value agricultural commodities. Prototypes will be tested against pulse meal with partners in Western Canada.
The partnership to produce a novel industrially relevant biocatalytic system that will enable cost-effective bioprocessing of lower value commodiies, an firmly within the emerging GCE cornerstone of synthetic biology, thereby significantly enhancing Canada’s innovation potential across multiple Canadian Industries going forward.
Organization:
National Research Council Canada
Expected Results:
In the short term, anticipated outcomes will be strengthened collaborations across industry, academia, and government to support research excellence. In the medium term, anticipated outcomes will be the development of new and potentially disruptive technologies with collaborators.
Location:
Ottawa, Ontario, CA K1N 6N5
Reference Number:
172-2019-2020-Q4-945266
Report Type:
Grants and Contributions
Recipient Business Number:
119278877
Additional Information:
This agreement has been amended 1 time(s). The end date of this agreements has been modified by 101 days. Hastings--Lennox and Addington 35039
Recipient's Operating Name:
University of Ottawa
Recipient's Legal Name:
University of Ottawa
Federal Riding Name:
Ottawa–Vanier
Federal Riding Number:
35078
Program:
Collaborative Science, Technology and Innovation Program – Ideation Fund
Program Purpose:
The Ideation Fund is intended to encourage, test and validate transformative research ideas generated by teams of NRC scientific personnel and external collaborators with complementary capabilities, acting as a demonstration phase for a continually-evolving suite of research and development (R&D) deliverables at the NRC. The fund supports exploratory research through two mechanisms: the New Beginnings Initiative and the Small Teams Initiative.