The influence of BM on regenerative processes in damaged central and peripheral nervous systems and on the immobilization stress will be investigated. In the frames of this Project the safety of BM will be evaluated and risk assessment will be performed. The main biological effects of BM will be studied (the antioxidant and anticancer activity, the ability to protect cells from UV-irradiation and heat shock, the mitogenic activity, the influence of BM on the organism immune status). As with all studies of new substances, it is necessary to determine the potential danger of BM, i.e. determine the degree of acute, chronic and genetic toxicity in vivo, cyto- and genotoxicity in vitro.

The study of BM as a stimulator of the plant growth and development will be carried out in vivo and in vitro. These investigations will be also conducted in Georgia. BM has several advantages compared with the known growth stimulants – it is easily soluble in water, rapidly degrades in the soil, is effective in very low concentrations, is simple in use. The mentioned features show that the technology for its production is ecologically safe. Moreover, constituents of the medium for theB. thuringiensis strain cultivation are inexpensive and easily available, thus BM production does not require large expenses. This essentially affects the prime cost of BM. Consequently, the increase in production scale will undoubtedly reduce the BM cost.

Proceeding from a prolonged effect of melanin, the other objective of the Project is obtaining of new melaninogenic strains based on the B. thuringiensis strains that have high insecticidal activity. Based on these strains it will be possible to set up a new profitable wasteless manufacture: the biomass obtained at the end of the fermentation will be used as a basis for the insecticide preparation, and BM isolated from culture liquid (CL) - as a biologically active substance.

Among the ecological aims of this project are studies of the influence of melanin and melaninogenic strains on the quality of the soil and its constituents.

The results obtained will promote commercialization of BM preparation as a potential pharmaceutical as well as a phytostimulator for agriculture. Besides, the strain-synthesizing melanin can be used as bioinsecticide.

The proposed Project implementation will exert long-term influence on further investigations of BM. Technologically efficient production of inexpensive water-soluble natural melanin and description of its biological activities will make this valuable product available for common application in pharmacology, cosmetology, agriculture and other areas and ensure future commercial success of this Project. The study of BM effects will open for the Project participants a long-term prospective to develop new active preparations including BM.

The Project proposed fully meets the ISTC goals and promotes them to be realized.

In the process of the Project implementation the participants and collaborators will continuously exchange the information on work progress and the results obtained, etc. The collaborators will comment interim and final reports presented to ISTC, will carry out cross-examination of results and technical examination of participants’ activity. Joint experiments will be performed using collaborators’ equipment. Joint workshops will be periodically organized.

In the process of the Project implementation a number of techniques will be applied: methods of cultivation and testing of animal and plant cells in vitro; study of morphology, functional activity and histochemistry of the nervous system; techniques of genetic engineering and microorganisms biotechnology; methods for determination of the product isolation and purification, study of physicochemical and immunological properties of melanins and determination of their cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in vivo and in vitro; analysis of plant enzyme activity; field investigation of plants; methods for determination of insecticidal activity of melaninogenic strains, etc.