[FUNgTERP] Fungal Terpenoids as Next-Generation Biocontrol Agents and Phytovaccines
Ente: European Commission
Scadenza: 2028-08-31
Importo max: 202.125,12 EUR
Paese: EU
Descrizione
"Global food security faces critical challenges from climate change and unsustainable agricultural practices. The EU's Green Deal aims to significantly reduce synthetic agrochemicals. The FUNgTERP project offers an ecologically sound alternative using fungal terpenoids—potent, natural bioactive compounds currently inaccessible due to high production costs.
This project will dismantle this barrier by creating a pioneering, integrated biotechnological platform for the discovery, scalable production, and functional validation of these compounds. It centers on the fungus Clonostachys rosea, a world-renowned biological control agent. The project's timeliness is enhanced by the recent high-quality genome for C. rosea, which has transformed gene identification into a high-probability bioinformatic exercise.
The core innovation lies in establishing a causal link between purified fungal terpenoids and their dual impact on plant health: direct antagonism and the induction of systemic resistance. This approach introduces a novel ""ecological risk-culling"" strategy, ensuring that only compounds beneficial to the entire agricultural ecosystem are advanced. The project will also provide the first mechanistic insights into how these specific molecules modulate the soil microbiome.
FUNgTERP aims for transformative impact by delivering new molecular tools and production platforms. By breaking the economic barrier of high-value terpenoids, the project will create a clear path to commercialization through licensing or a spin-off company, an approach validated by companies like Isobionics/BASF. The project directly supports the EU’s ""Farm to Fork"" Strategy and the EU Mission ""A Soil Deal for Europe"" by providing tangible, ecological solutions."
Settori: Metabolic engineering, Fungal Terpenoids, Biocontrol, Synthetic Biology, Phytovaccines, Induced Systemic Resistance (ISR), Clonostachys rosea, Root Microbiome
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