Project Number: 6420-32000-024-01
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jan 01, 2010
End Date: Dec 31, 2014

Objective:
The objective of this cooperative research project is to discover and develop novel natural antimicrobial peptides that could be used to control fish diseases. This research project will allow USDA, Agricultural Research Service and Qingdao Agricultural University (QDAU) to implement cooperative research with a common goal to discover and develop novel natural antimicrobial peptides to control fish bacterial diseases. The fish pathogens to be investigated include but not limited to Edwardsiella ictaluri, Streptococcus iniae, and Flavobacterium columnare.

Approach:
Antimicrobial peptides will be isolated through bioassay-guided fractionation that shows activity against important fish bacterial pathogens such as, but not limited to, Edwardsiella ictaluri, Streptococcus iniae, and Flavobacterium columnare. The source of antimicrobial peptides will be aquatic animals, such as bivalves, from which a novel antimicrobial peptides has been discovered by Qingdao Agricultural University. Bioactive crude protein extracts will be initially tested for antimicrobial activity against fish pathogens. Various fractionation techniques, including HPLC, will be used to separate, purify, and determine the active antimicrobial ingredient guided by antimicrobial bioassays.