Evolved predatory bacteria platform for novel pest-control activities

Overview

This research platform uses directed laboratory evolution of predatory bacteria, specifically myxobacteria, to develop novel strains with enhanced biocontrol capabilities. Myxobacteria possess large genomes with expanded pathways for secondary metabolite production and extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, making them a rich resource for novel bioactive compounds. By evolving strains under controlled conditions, the platform enriches versatile predators with specific pest-targeting abilities, enabling optimization of novel compound synthesis, multi-compound activity profiles, and combined compound-plus-enzymatic activity.

The approach addresses agricultural, environmental, and industrial pest management needs by providing a scalable method for generating tailored biocontrol agents. Current proof-of-principle work demonstrates that evolved strains can show significant increases in predation rates, offering a pathway to identify novel pest mitigation strategies.

Technical specifications

Evolutionary approach:

• In-lab evolution under three distinct conditions: growth on E. coli prey, growth on M. luteus prey, and growth on peptides
• Four replicate lineages per condition to enable intra-condition comparison and distinguish targeted versus background mutations
• Over 2,500 generations of evolution completed to date
• Freezer stock preservation every five weeks maintains a complete evolutionary record for downstream analysis

Key findings and optimization targets:

• Some lineages show greater than 100% increase in predation rates
• Certain lineages improve broad predation capacity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative targets
• Other lineages optimize more narrowly for specific prey types
• Observed changes in pigmentation indicate altered secondary metabolite profiles
• Reduction in fruiting body formation suggests a shift from feast-famine to feast-only predatory biology

Future validation pipeline:

• Whole genome sequencing of all 12 evolved lineages
• Comparative mass spectrometry metabolomics analysis
• Correlation of genomic and metabolomic changes to identify cell-killing pathways and compounds
• Detection of synergistic pathway changes
• Extension of the platform to target additional pests of interest

Technology readiness level

The platform is currently at an advanced proof-of-principle stage. Validation experiments have demonstrated rapid adaptation of evolved strains with measurable improvements in predation rates and biological characteristics. Detectable changes in cell-killing activity have been observed within the first 25 weeks of evolution, with optimization continuing beyond that timeframe. The research team plans to expand the platform by targeting additional pests of interest, with each iteration providing more specific leads for translation to industry applications.