DEVELOPMENT AND INITIAL TESTING OF DIATOM-BASED SELF-ADJUVANTING ANTIGEN-ADJUVANT FUSION SUBUNIT PROTEIN ORAL VACCINES AGAINST PISCINE FRANCISELLOSIS IN NILE TILAPIA

Piscine francisellosis is a worldwide emergent disease caused by Francisella orientalis. In the U.S., francisellosis has occurred in both cultured and wild fish. Lack of sensitive diagnostic tests, approved treatments, and vaccines in the U.S. aquaculture industry have resulted in over 90% mortalities in some cases. A collaboration between PhycoVax, LLC. and the University of California, Davis aims to develop effective, low-cost aquaculture feed-based vaccines to prevent disease outbreaks and improve farm production efficiency for a better investment return.Phase I Specific Objectives: 1. To express adjuvant - antigen fusion protein in the diatom. 2. To evaluate the mucosal and systemic immune response stimulated by feeding transgenic diatoms expressing recombinant adjuvant-antigen fusion protein to Nile tilapia. The primary goal of this project will be accomplished in an 8-months time frame.