Study of Novel Generation nanobodies for agri-food applications

The use of pesticides on crops presents a significant risk of consumer exposure to harmful chemical residues, underscoring the need to explore safer alternatives for both humans and plants. GuardAgents will address this challenge by developing new biopesticides that target the Cucumber Mosaic Virus (CMV), a major threat to crops around the world. GuardAgents will develop a new generation of efficient, cost-effective small antibodies, so-called nanobodies to enhance plant immunity, reduce pesticide dependency and contribute significantly toward sustainable agriculture. GuardAgents will also advance technological innovation in plant protection, minimize ecological impact, and foster long-term agricultural sustainability. A multidisciplinary, state-of-the-art approach will be employed producing recombinant nanobodies through in vitro and in vivo approaches involving E. coli and plants, followed by biophysical characterization using advanced analytical techniques. Molecular farming techniques will be applied to produce nanobodies in plants, followed by functional comparisons to in vitro-produced nanobodies. The antiviral efficacy of the developed nanobodies will be tested in plants through transient expression and transformation. Additionally, toxicity studies will be performed involving plant cell cultures, invertebrate and vertebrate animals, while environmental impact assessments will be conducted to ensure biosafety. This research seeks to optimize nanobody-based strategies for sustainable viral disease control in crops.