Matrix-mediated coating of target organisms with bioeffectors

DE102023123382A1Pending Publication Date: 2025-03-06FORSCHUNGSZENTRUM JULICH GMBH
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Application Number
DE102023123382
Authority / Receiving Office
DE · DE
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2023-08-30
Publication Date
2025-03-06

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Abstract

The invention relates to a matrix, in particular for forming a layer surrounding a target organism, comprising at least one matrix former and at least one bioeffector, a method for enriching bioeffectors on a target organism, the use of the matrix as an external layer for seeds, the use of the matrix as a carrier for bioeffectors and the matrix for use as a pharmaceutical.
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Description

[0001] The invention relates to a matrix, in particular for forming a layer surrounding a target organism, comprising at least one matrix former and at least one bioeffector, a method for enriching bioeffectors on a target organism, the use of the matrix as an external layer for seeds, the use of the matrix as a carrier for bioeffectors and the matrix for use as a medicament.

[0002] Bioeffectors, as defined in this application, describe a wide variety of different active substances that can have antimicrobial effects or promote the growth, nutrient uptake, and / or resistance of living organisms (e.g., crops, animals, or humans) and / or parts thereof (e.g., tissues or organs). Bioeffectors have a wide variety of uses, such as plant protection products, plant tonics, growth promoters, wound dressings, enterointestinal gels, or aerosol sprays.

[0003] In agriculture, the protection of crops from pathogenic bacteria is of particular importance. Currently, pathogenic bacteria are combated with non-specific agents such as antibiotics, copper compounds, pesticides, or plasma gas. This results in a broad spectrum of bacterial species being killed indiscriminately. As a result, even some of the most specific antibiotics are only effective against certain groups of bacteria, for example, only Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria, or only bacteria belonging to a specific phylogenetic group, but cannot be species- or strain-specific.

[0004] However, many genera, such as Pseudomonas and Bacillus, to name a few, contain both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria (so-called commensals). It is these beneficial bacteria, which can benefit the target organism or are important for its health, that should not be killed if possible. The indiscriminate killing of the desired microorganisms can also lead to negative changes in the microbiome and the local environment.

[0005] An alternative approach to highly specifically targeting a single host species is offered by bacteriophages (viruses that infect bacteria) (Erdrich et al. 2022, Hampton et al. 2020, and Holtappels et al. 2021). As such, they offer great potential for the targeted control of bacterial pathogens. Another useful property of bacteriophages is their ability to replicate and multiply themselves once they attach to a host bacterium and inject their genetic material into the cell.

[0006] All previous methods for combating bacterial pathogens have in common that they are non-selective and affect multiple organisms simultaneously, meaning that beneficial and desirable bacteria are also killed. Furthermore, these non-selective methods act as evolutionary pressure and are increasingly causing the formation of so-called "superbugs" (multi-resistant bacteria) that are immune to disease-fighting chemicals. This leads to an accumulation of undesirable, persistently biodegradable substances in the environment, such as antibiotics, copper, and pesticides, which exacerbate ecological problems.

[0007] For a targeted effect, however, not only the specificity of the effect is crucial, but also that the corresponding bioeffectors are located in the immediate vicinity of the target organism. Such spatial specificity would not only be advantageous for the destruction of harmful bacteria, but also, for example, in agriculture when adding biological effectors in the form of nutrients or fertilizers. Normally, the addition of fertilizer is limited to widespread application, without a high degree of spatial specificity for the site of action. If we consider the process of sowing in agriculture, for example, even the most precise nutrient application, such as with "in-furrow" technology, is still subject to the limitation that the nutrients are applied to a much larger area than the immediate space around a single seed.

[0008] As a third factor, in addition to the specificity of action and spatial specificity, the temporal component must also be taken into account. In practice, the application of an active ingredient and its effect often differ in time. In the case of growth-promoting substances, such as nutrients or hormones, their effect is usually required at a specific time. In agriculture, for example, the optimal time to add growth-promoting substances would be precisely when the seedling's natural reserves from the seed have been exhausted. However, since the exact time for optimal application is difficult to determine, the growth-promoting substances are applied in larger quantities instead to ensure that the seed is not deprived. As a result, more growth-promoting substances are applied than the target organism can utilize.The same applies to pesticides that are applied in large quantities, sometimes preventively, because early stages of infection are often undetectable. This has the disadvantage of higher costs and increased resistance development, as opposed to targeted application in areas where they are needed, for example, when the seedling is still young and particularly susceptible. Likewise, antimicrobial substances such as bacteriophages can experience stability problems, which can be counteracted by a matrix.

[0009] From the above, it is clear that although there are possibilities to provide bioeffectors with the required specificity of action for different areas of application, there is a lack of application options to use them with the required spatial specificity and at the same time ensure that the bioeffectors are available at the required time and that their stability is guaranteed over a longer period of time.

[0010] As part of the development work for this patent application, attempts were therefore made to apply bioeffectors locally to a target organism and to fix them by physical barriers and / or chemical interactions.

[0011] In this work, researchers succeeded in binding or enriching bacteriophages to mucilage-excreting seeds before they germinate. It was demonstrated that the bacteriophages immobilized in the mucilage were still active against their host bacteria, which are pathogenic to the plant, when the seeds were exposed to moisture again. It was also shown that the bacteriophages remain active even after extended storage periods (>4 weeks). The mucilage enriched with bacteriophages can therefore act as an external immune layer on the seed, thus immobilizing and stabilizing the bacteriophages to the target organism.

[0012] Such an approach is not limited to mucus-secreting target organisms; plant mucus or a polymer can also be supplied exogenously. Plant mucus typically consists of carbohydrates with complex branched structures composed of monomers of L-arabinose, D-xylose, D-galactose, L-rhamnose, and galacturonic acid, and in nature, it primarily serves as a water-binding matrix. A variety of commercially available matrix formers are capable of acting as a matrix in a similar manner, allowing bioeffectors to be bound to non-mucus-secreting target organisms.

[0013] The object of the present invention was therefore to provide a matrix based on polymers or to have it produced by the target organism itself, which allows a bioeffector to be applied as close as possible to a target organism or to be enriched at the target site and at the same time to ensure the necessary storage stability of the bioeffector.

[0014] This object is achieved by a matrix according to claim 1, ie by a matrix, in particular for forming a layer surrounding a target organism, comprising at least one matrix former and at least one bioeffector.

[0015] The matrix according to the invention serves as a carrier or medium for the at least one bioeffector and, depending on the nature of the at least one bioeffector and the at least one matrix former, represents a physical barrier and / or keeps the bioeffector in the environment of the target organism through chemical interactions. The matrix according to the invention thus offers the advantage of high local specificity for the enrichment of bioeffector in the immediate environment of the target organism and, at the same time, provides a medium in which the bioeffector, in particular bacteriophages, have a high storage stability. Due to the proximity of the bioeffector to the target organism, these can either render pathogenic bacteria harmless and protect the plants from pathogens in the long term or perform another beneficial function.

[0016] A target organism, as defined in the application, is any object that can be enriched with a bioeffector using a matrix, and includes both organisms and parts thereof, such as organs and / or tissue. Preferably, the target organism is seed or a seed.

[0017] Seed refers to dry, dormant, generative reproductive organs such as seeds, fruits, pseudofruits, infructescences, or parts thereof. They contain the complete germ cell of the plant, resulting from fertilization.

[0018] Further preferred embodiments are defined in the dependent claims.

[0019] In the following, the term “comprise” shall also include “consisting of”.

[0020] Matrix formers within the meaning of the application include chemically diverse, natural and synthetic substances, preferably polymers, whose common feature is that they are biodegradable and can be enriched with bioeffectors due to their physical barrier properties and / or through chemical interactions. The at least one matrix former can be synthesized by the target organism or supplied externally. The advantage of biodegradable matrix formers is primarily their good availability and ecological compatibility.

[0021] The matrix according to the invention is preferably characterized in that the at least one matrix former is selected from the group consisting of non-polymers, polymers, mucose, mucilage mucus, microgels, proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, pentosans, mucins and compounds, preferably proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, pentosans, mucins, most preferably polysaccharides.

[0022] Since the mechanical requirements for the matrix former in the matrix according to the invention are rather low, complex modifications can be omitted. However, under certain circumstances, certain chemical modifications are advantageous, as long as the resulting matrix former remains biodegradable.

[0023] According to an alternative embodiment, matrix formers can therefore also comprise native polymers, where native polymers are derived from naturally occurring or biomass-occurring polymers such as cellulose and starch, with no or only minor modifications or while retaining the basic structure. For example, native polymers can be cellulose or starch derivatives.

[0024] The addition of excipients may be advantageous under certain circumstances, for example to increase the positional stability or to adapt the barrier properties of the matrix to the at least one bioeffector.

[0025] The matrix according to the invention is further preferably characterized in that the at least one matrix former comprises at least one auxiliary substance selected from the group consisting of plasticizers, emulsifiers, pH regulators, humectants, preservatives and / or antioxidants.

[0026] As already explained above, bioeffectors describe a wide variety of different active substances that can have antimicrobial effects or can promote the growth, nutrient acquisition and / or resistance of crop plants.

[0027] The matrix according to the invention is preferably characterized in that the at least one bioeffector comprises at least one antimicrobial active ingredient and / or at least one growth-promoting agent.

[0028] Antimicrobial agents are chemical or biological substances that reduce the reproductive capacity or infectivity of microorganisms, or kill or inactivate them. As already mentioned at the beginning, pathogenic bacteria are killed indiscriminately with nonspecific agents such as antibiotics, which has a number of disadvantages. Therefore, the use of specific antimicrobial agents, especially bacteriophages, is advantageous because they only attack one host species.

[0029] The matrix according to the invention is further preferably characterized in that the at least one antimicrobial active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of phage lysins, tailocins, fusion proteins, bacteriophages, bacteriophage vectors, proteins, peptides and bacteriophage protein derivatives.

[0030] Preferably, the at least one antimicrobial active ingredient is a bacteriophage, a bacteriophage vector, a bacteriophage protein derivative, a bactericidal protein, or a phage lysine, preferably a bacteriophage.

[0031] More preferably, the at least one antimicrobial agent is a bacteriophage from the kingdom Duplodnaviria which is strictly lytic and infects and kills at least one pathogen from the order Lysobacterales, Pseudomonadales, Burkholderiales, Enterobacterales or Hyphomicrobiales.

[0032] Instead of antimicrobial agents, growth-promoting agents can also be present as bioeffectors in the matrix according to the invention, whereby the combination of antimicrobial agents and growth-promoting agents is also conceivable.

[0033] Likewise, the provision of growth-promoting agents can be effected by the matrix according to the invention, whereby growth-promoting agents are understood to mean all agents which are beneficial to the vitality of the target organism.

[0034] The matrix according to the invention is further preferably characterized in that the at least one growth-promoting agent is selected from the group consisting of nutrients, hormones, cofactors and coenzymes, with nutrients and hormones being particularly preferred.

[0035] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the matrix according to the invention for forming a layer surrounding a seed comprises a matrix former and bacteriophages.

[0036] The present invention further relates to a method for the enrichment of bioeffectors, in particular bacteriophages, by means of a matrix surrounding a target organism, the method comprising the steps a) producing a matrix, preferably based on a mixture comprising water and / or at least one organic solvent, comprising at least one bioeffector, in particular bacteriophage, and a matrix former, b) bringing a target organism, in particular seeds, into contact with the matrix, c) drying the target organism brought into contact with the matrix, in particular seeds.

[0037] The matrix is ​​produced in step a) by adding at least one bioeffector and at least one matrix former to the mixture of water and / or organic solvent.

[0038] The concentration of the at least one bioeffector is not limited; if the at least one bioeffector comprises bacteriophages, the concentration of the bacteriophages is preferably 10 2 up to 10 34 Bacteriophages / mL, particularly preferably 10 8 up to 10 34 Bacteriophages / mL.

[0039] Bringing the target organism into contact with the matrix in step b) can be done by various means such as spraying or immersing, preferably the target organism is immersed in the matrix produced in step a) for a period of less than one hour.

[0040] The drying of the target organism in step c) takes place in a sterile environment in a temperature range of 0 to 25°C, preferably until complete evaporation of water and / or the solvent.

[0041] All preferred embodiments and definitions for the matrix according to the invention apply analogously to the method according to the invention.

[0042] The method according to the invention is based on the inclusion of bioeffectors in a matrix that serves as a barrier. The matrix either acts as a physical barrier or, due to its chemical affinity, is capable of fixing the at least one bioeffector in the immediate environment of the target organism. The matrix thus surrounds the target organism and thus ensures the advantage of high local specificity for the enrichment of bioeffector in the immediate environment of the target organism. At the same time, it provides a medium in which the bioeffector, in particular bacteriophages, exhibits high stability.

[0043] Alternatively, exogenous addition of matrix-forming agents can be dispensed with if the target organism secretes a barrier environment to be enriched, e.g., in the form of mucilage. For example, various seeds can secrete mucilage, such as Arabidopsis thaliana (thale cress).

[0044] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the method comprises the steps: a) producing a matrix, preferably based on a mixture comprising water and / or at least one organic solvent, comprising at least one bioeffector, in particular bacteriophage, and at least one matrix former, b) Bringing seeds into contact with the matrix, c) Drying the seeds brought into contact with the matrix.

[0045] Depending on the seed, it is also possible to dispense with the exogenous addition of a matrix former, but this requires that the seed itself can provide an enriched environment with barrier properties, e.g. in the form of mucilage.

[0046] Therefore, in a particularly preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention, the method comprises the steps: a) preparing a solution, preferably based on a mixture comprising water and / or at least one organic solvent, comprising at least one bioeffector, in particular bacteriophages, b) Bringing seeds into contact with the solution, whereby the seeds secrete mucilage due to the moisture of the solvent c) Drying the seeds brought into contact with the solution.

[0047] Such a procedure is extremely economical, especially due to its simple procedure.

[0048] The present invention further relates to seeds obtainable by one of the above processes.

[0049] The seed obtained by the process according to the invention has the advantage that the applied bioeffectors are fixed to the target organism.

[0050] Drying the seeds in contact with the matrix reduces the volume of the matrix to such an extent that the seeds can be stored, while the bioeffectors remain attached to the seeds. This is particularly advantageous because it ensures that the bioeffectors are already present in the immediate vicinity of the individual seeds at sowing. After the seeds are placed in the soil and come into contact with water, the matrix absorbs the water, allowing the young seedling to access the bioeffectors.

[0051] Infection of crops by pathogenic bacteria can occur through various routes, such as soil, air, or insect transmission, but in a large percentage of cases, transmission occurs through contaminated seeds. Targeted infection of pathogenic, but not beneficial, microbes by bacteriophages fixed on the surface of the seeds therefore offers the advantage of being able to act against the bacteria during germination and plant growth.

[0052] It is therefore even more advantageous if the seeds are brought into contact with bacteriophages in step a) of the process according to the invention. Seed obtained in this way therefore has great potential for effectiveness, as it can interrupt the most common route of infection, namely through contaminated seeds.

[0053] The present invention further relates to the use of the matrix according to the invention for coating a target organism, in particular seeds.

[0054] However, it is also conceivable that the principle described in the application could be applied to the medical field. The use of the matrix according to the invention would be particularly conceivable on mucosal surfaces, such as those in the lungs.

[0055] The administration of bacteriophages to kill gastrointestinal pathogens such as E. coli species could be improved by using the matrix of the invention as a carrier for antimicrobial agents, in particular bacteriophages.

[0056] Further possible applications in medicine could include a combination of different bioeffectors in medical dressings. The incorporation of the matrix according to the invention could even have a dual-purpose function here. In addition to the killing of bacteria by the bacteriophages, the matrix former or other synthetically produced polymers would prevent the wound from drying out due to their water-binding properties. Combinations with other antimicrobial agents are also conceivable.

[0057] Consequently, the present invention relates to the use of the matrix according to the invention as a carrier for antimicrobial agents, in particular bacteriophages.

[0058] Furthermore, the present invention relates to the matrix according to the invention for use as a medicament.

[0059] The invention is explained in more detail below in non-limiting examples. ExamplesExample 1 - Fixation of bacteriophages to seeds

[0060] To illustrate the general principle of the present invention, the seeds of a model plant were provided with bacteriophages.

[0061] Approximately 1000 seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana were inoculated in a sterile Eppendorf tube with 1 mL of bacteriophage solution of concentration 10 8 Pfu / mL incubated for at least 30 minutes.

[0062] Subsequent drying on sterile filter paper makes the seeds storable.

[0063] The seeds are then sown on agar plates, where the plant mucilage expands upon contact with moisture, releasing the bacteriophages onto the seeds.

[0064] It has been shown that bacteriophages can bind to seeds before they germinate. As soon as the seeds came into contact with moisture during sowing, the bacteriophages were released and fixed in the plant mucilage (see [Fig. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3). It was found that the bacteriophages were still active against their host bacteria (which are pathogenic to the plant). Due to the self-replicating nature of the bacteriophages, their numbers were greatly amplified once a host bacterium was attacked (cf. Fig. 3).

[0065] Other bacteriophages [5] that can bind to seeds secreting plant mucilage were tested. An overview is provided in Table 1 below. Table 1: List of tested bacteriophages Bakteriophagenart Wirtsbakterium Alfirin Agrobacterium tumefaciens Athelas Pseudomonas syringae Langgrundblatt1 Xanthomonas translucens Langgrundblatt2 Xanthomonas translucens Pfeifenkraut Xanthomonas translucens Elanor Xanthomonas translucens Laurilin Xanthomonas translucens Mallos Xanthomonas translucens Bas01 E.coli K12 Bas02 E.coli K12 Bas03 E.coli K12 Bas04 E.coli K12 Bas05 E.coli K12 Bas06 E.coli K12 Bas07 E.coli K12 Bas08 E.coli K12 Bas09 E.coli K12 Bas10 E.coli K12 Bas11 E.coli K12 Bas12 E.coli K12 Bas13 E.coli K12 Bas14 E.coli K12 Bas15 E.coli K12 Bas16 E.coli K12 Bas17 E.coli K12 Bas18 E.coli K12 Bas20 E.coli K12 Bas22 E.coli K12 Bas23 E.coli K12 Bas24 E.coli K12 Bas25 E.coli K12 Bas26 E.coli K12 Bas27 E.coli K12 Bas28 E.coli K12 Bas29 E.coli K12 Bas30 E.coli K12 Bas31 E.coli K12 Bas32 E.coli K12 Bas33 E.coli K12 Bas34 E.coli K12 Bas35 E.coli K12 Bas36 E.coli K12 Bas37 E.coli K12 Bas38 E.coli K12 Bas39 E.coli K12 Bas40 E.coli K12 Bas41 E.coli K12 Bas42 E.coli K12 Bas43 E.coli K12 Bas44 E.coli K12 Bas45 E.coli K12 Bas46 E.coli K12 Bas47 E.coli K12 Bas48 E.coli K12 Bas49 E.coli K12 Bas50 E.coli K12 Bas51 E.coli K12 Bas52 E.coli K12 Bas53 E.coli K12 Bas54 E.coli K12 Bas55 E.coli K12 Bas56 E.coli K12 Bas57 E.coli K12 Bas58 E.coli K12 Bas59 E.coli K12 Bas60 E.coli K12 Bas63 E.coli K12 Bas64 E.coli K12 Bas65 E.coli K12 Bas66 E.coli K12 Bas67 E.coli K12 Bas68 E.coli K12 Bas69 E.coli K12 Example 2 - Influence of plant mucilage on the fixation of bacteriophages

[0066] The following experiment aimed to examine the influence of plant mucilage on the fixation of bacteriophages.

[0067] For this purpose, the mucilage was mechanically removed from a portion of the seeds (Voiniciuc and Günl 2016, Bio-protocol; doi: 10.21769 / BioProtoc.1802). The seeds were then incubated in two groups, with and without mucilage, in the same bacteriophage solution as in Example 1 and dried in a sterile environment. The seeds were then sown on agar plates containing the target bacterium in a thin, soft agar layer.

[0068] It was observed that the activity of the bacteriophages was greatly reduced, as shown by the example of the Pseudomonas phage Athelas (cf. Fig. 4 B), when the mucilage has been removed from the seeds.

[0069] It has been shown that plant mucus can be enriched with bacteriophages, and that the plant mucus significantly improves the fixation of the bacteriophages. Consequently, the bacteriophage-enriched plant mucus can act as an external immune layer on the seeds. Example 3 - Storage stability of the seed from Example 1

[0070] To demonstrate that bioeffectors applied to a target organism retain their function over time, storage stability at low temperatures was measured.

[0071] Arabidopsis thaliana seeds treated with three different phages, alfirin, athelas, and pipeweed, as described in Example 1, were stored at 4 °C, and the bacteriophage activity was tested on a bacterial lawn over a period of 28 days. At regular intervals, a portion of the seeds was sown onto a bacterial lawn to determine the viability of the bacteriophages.

[0072] The activity decreased only minimally over the tested period. Fig. The results shown in Figure 6 indicate the percentage of seeds tested in which phage activity was detected in the form of plaques. literature [1] Erdrich et al. 2022, Viruses; doi.org / 10.3390 / v14071449 [2] Hampton et al. 2020, Nature; doi: 10.1038 / s41586-019-1894-8 [3] Holtappels et al. 2021, Current Opinion in Biotechnology; doi: 10.1016 / j.copbio.2020.08.016 [4] Voiniciuc and Günl 2016, Bio-protocol; doi: 10.21769 / BioProtoc.1802 [5] Maffei et al. 2021, PLOS Biology; doi.org / 10.1371 / journal.pbio.3001424 Figure descriptionFigure 1:

[0073] Schematic drawing of the application method for enriching bacteriophages on mucilage-secreting seeds. Figure 2:

[0074] Seeds enriched with bacteriophages are placed on double agar in Petri dishes containing the bacteria to be treated. Upon successful infection of the bacteria, a plaque formation becomes visible. The clear zone around the seeds (also called plaque) is caused by the bacteriophages, which use successfully infected host bacteria for amplification and ultimately lysis.

[0075] The labeling of the individual Petri dishes corresponds to the bacteriophages: a) Pseudomonas phage Athelas, b) Xanthomonas phage pipeweed, c) Agrobacterium phage alfirin, e) Xanthomonas phage long base leaf1, f) Xanthomonas phage long base leaf1, g) E. coli phage Bas66, h) E. coli phage Bas65 and i) E. coli phage Bas64 Figure 3:

[0076] Electron micrograph of extracted plant mucilage incubated with the bacteriophage alfirin and stained with 2% uranyl acetate (UO2(CH3COO)2 2 H2O). Figure 4:A) Mechanical removal of secreted mucilage from Arabidopsis thaliana seeds.

[0077] Ruthenium red-stained seeds of Arabidopsis thaliana before and after mechanical removal of the mucilage layer (Voiniciuc and Günl 2016, Bio-protocol; doi: 10.21769 / BioProtoc.1802). The stained polysaccharide structures are red and visible as a layer around the seed. B) Influence of plant mucilage on selected bacteriophages

[0078] First row from top: Arabidopsis thaliana seeds incubated with the Pseudomonas phage Athelas and sown on a Pseudomonas syringae bacterial lawn. Second row from top: Arabidopsis thaliana seeds incubated with Pseudomonas phage Athelas, removal of the mucilage, and then sowing on a Pseudomonas syringae bacterial lawn. Third row from top: Arabidopsis thaliana seeds incubated with E. coli phage Bas65 and seeded on a fine E. coli bacterial lawn. Fourth row from top: Arabidopsis thaliana seeds incubated with E. coli phage Bas65, mucilage removed, and seeded on a fine E. coli bacterial lawn.

[0079] In both series of experiments in which the plant mucilage was removed (second and fourth row from the top), the seeds show less good phage binding properties. Figure 5:

[0080] The storage stability of bacteriophages on bacteriophage-enriched seeds at 4°C was investigated.

[0081] Arabidopsis thaliana seeds were treated with three different bacteriophages—alfirin, athelas, and pipeweed—and incubated for 30 minutes. The seeds were then dried in a laminar flow cabinet and stored at 4°C. At regular intervals, a portion of the seeds was sown onto a bacterial lawn to determine the viability of the bacteriophages. The results shown indicate the percentage of tested seeds in which bacteriophage activity was detected in the form of plaques. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited non-patent literature

[0000] Erdrich et al. 2022, Hampton et al. 2020 and Holtappels et al. 2021

[0005]

Claims

[1] A matrix, in particular for forming a layer surrounding a target organism, comprising at least one matrix former and at least one bioeffector. [2] The matrix according to claim 1, characterized by that the at least one matrix former is selected from the group consisting of non-polymers, polymers, mucose, mucilage mucus, microgels, proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, pentosans, mucins. [3] The matrix according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by that the at least one matrix former is selected from the group consisting of proteins, peptides, polysaccharides, glycoproteins, pentosans and mucins. [4] The matrix according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the at least one bioeffector comprises at least one antimicrobial agent and / or at least one growth-promoting agent. [5] The matrix according to claim 4, characterized bythat the at least one antimicrobial active ingredient is selected from the group consisting of phage lysins, tailocins, fusion proteins, bacteriophages, bacteriophage vectors, proteins, peptides and bacteriophage protein derivatives. [6] The matrix according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that at least one antimicrobial agent is a bacteriophage. [7] The matrix according to claim 4 or 5, characterized by that the at least one antimicrobial active ingredient comprises a bacteriophage from the kingdom Duplodnaviria which is strictly lytic and infects and kills at least one pathogen from the order Lysobacterales, Pseudomonadales, Burkholderiales, Enterobacterales or Hyphomicrobiales. [8] The matrix according to claim 4, characterized by that at least one growth-promoting agent is selected from the group consisting of nutrients, hormones, cofactors and coenzymes. [9] A method for enriching bioeffectors in a target organism, in particular seeds, comprising the steps: a) producing a matrix, preferably based on a mixture comprising water and / or at least one organic solvent, comprising at least one bioeffector and at least one matrix former, b) bringing a target organism, in particular seeds, into contact with the matrix, c) drying the target organism brought into contact with the matrix, in particular seeds. [10] The method according to claim 9, comprising the steps: a) preparing a solution, preferably based on a mixture comprising water and / or at least one organic solvent, comprising at least one bioeffector, in particular bacteriophages, b) Bringing seeds into contact with the solution, whereby the seeds secrete mucilage due to the moisture of the solvent c) Drying the seeds brought into contact with the solution. [11] Seed obtainable by a process according to claim 9 or 10. [12] The use of a matrix according to claims 1 to 8 for coating a target organism, in particular seeds. [13] The use of a matrix according to claims 1 to 8 as a carrier for antimicrobial agents, in particular bacteriophages. [14] Matrix according to claims 1 to 8 for use as a medicament.

Citation Information

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