SBIR/STTR Phase I: Microalgal Vaccines for the Control of White Spot Syndrome Virus in Shrimp

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project will develop oral vaccines for controlling white spot syndrome virus (WSSV)in marine shrimp using transgenic algae. In recent years shrimp production on Latin American shrimp farms has been reduced by up to 50 percent by WSSV outbreaks. Current technologies for controlling WSSV have had limited effectiveness. This Phase I Project will test the hypothesis that transgenic algae expressing WSSV capsid proteins can function as ideal vaccine delivery vectors for nearly all life-stages of shrimp. Larval shrimp feed on microalgae and adult shrimp consume dried microalgae in their diet. Recent work by the investigators has demonstrated that both live and freeze-dried microalgae expressing foreign antigens can induce an antigen-specific immune response in fish. It is therefore likely that microalgae can deliver functional antigens via oral delivery. The commercial application of this project is in the area of shrimp farming.