Production of Phytase for Use in Animal Feed

There is a substantial and growing interest among swine and poultry producers in the application of phytase to improve the nutritional quality in animal feeds. Demonstrated benefits include improved feed yield ratios and reduction in the environmental costs associated with the disposal of animal wastes. Enzyme Design, Inc. offers an enabling technology (the EnzyMatrix expression system) for the production of enzymes which has significant potential in aniaml feed applications. The product of the EnzyMatrix system is an enzyme-rich and food-safe solid which can be easily incorporated into existing animal feel formulations. Equally important, EnzyMatrix enzymes have the potential to be routinely recovered from the finished product for quality assurance and regulatory certification. The technical objectives for Phase I are: 1. Insert the gene encoding phytase into EnzyMatrix expression vectors and express the resulting enzyme (EnzyMatrix phytase). 2. Evaluate the yield and stability of EnzyMatrix phytase. 3. Compare the physical and catalytic properties of EnzyMatrix phytase with the native enzyme. 4. Demonstrate enrichment and recovery of EnzyMatrix phytase from fee.