Venom peptide screening platform for novel biodegradable fungicides targeting fusarium

Overview

Fungal infections such as those caused by Fusarium are among the most damaging and costly diseases in crop production. Conventional fungicides can persist in the environment and pose risks to consumers and ecosystems, creating urgent demand for safer alternatives. This offering centers on a discovery platform that screens specialised venom peptide libraries to identify novel chemical entities with antifungal activity. Because venom peptides evolved in an evolutionary arms race with venom-gland microbiomes, they are highly specific and, as peptides, are unlikely to persist or bioaccumulate in the environment. This makes them strong candidates for next-generation, sustainable fungicide development.

Technical specifications

Key features:

• Validated Fusarium viability assay using radial filter discs that present Fusarium solani in a phenotypically relevant form, with a Z' of 0.82 in 96-well plates using chloramphenicol as a positive control
• Targeted Venom Discovery Array (T-VDA) built from 2D HPLC fractionated venoms of 12–18 species, standardised for high-throughput screening
• Hit confirmation workflow including concentration-response assays, intact mass and double-digest electrospray mass spectrometry, peptide SAR analysis, and synthesis of short peptides from active regions
• Expertise in venom biology supported by published evidence that cobra venom inhibits Fusarium growth, with collaborators at Canterbury Christ Church University providing assay development
• High-throughput R&D capability enabling automated screening of pest and non-target species with data-rich outputs

Technology readiness level

The platform is built on an already-validated assay (Z' of 0.82) and existing venom fractionation infrastructure. Preliminary work has confirmed that venom samples produce observable effects in the Fusarium assay, supporting confidence in hit identification. The next stage of validation involves designing a Fusarium-targeted venom library, screening it against the validated radial disc assay, confirming hits in concentration-response studies, and progressing to synthetic peptide design and retesting. The technology is currently at an advanced discovery stage, ready to advance into lead optimisation and development of candidate fungicidal peptides.