Method of making microalgal-based animal foodstuff supplements, microalgal-supplemented animal foodstuffs and method of animal nutrition

Abstract

The present invention is to a safe, biodegradable trace metal binding system that effectively delivers chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc to animals. The method of preparing an animal foodstuff composition involves the steps of: providing transgenic algal cells comprising a nucleotide sequence, the nucleotide sequence being capable of expressing a non-native metal-binding protein in the transgenic algal cells; binding the metal-binding protein with at least one metal so as to produce a metal-bound adduct of the metal-binding protein; and admixing the metal-bound adduct with animal foodstuff. The invention is also to a animal foodstuff composition comprising animal foodstuff and transgenic algal cells expressing a non-native metal-binding protein in the transgenic algal cells, such that the transgenic algal cells contain the metal-binding protein and the metal-binding protein being bound to a metal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of preparing an animal foodstuff composition, said method comprising the steps:
 (a) providing algal cells comprising a nucleotide sequence, said nucleotide sequence capable of expressing a non-native metal-binding protein in said algal cells;   (b) binding said metal-binding protein with at least one metal so as to produce a metal-bound adduct of said metal-binding protein; and   (c) admixing said metal-bound adduct with said animal foodstuff.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said algal cells are in a dried state prior to introduction into said animal foodstuff. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said metal-binding protein is adapted to bind a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein said metal-binding protein is chicken Type II Metallothionein. 
     
     
         5 . An animal foodstuff composition comprising:
 (a) an animal foodstuff; and   (b) algal cells expressing a non-native metal-binding protein in said algal cells, such that said algal cells contain said metal-binding protein, said metal-binding protein being bound to a metal.   
     
     
         6 . An animal foodstuff composition of  claim 5  wherein said metal-binding protein is bound to a metal selected from the group consisting of chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium and zinc, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         7 . An animal foodstuff composition according to  claim 5  wherein said algal cells are in a dried state prior to introduction into said animal foodstuff. 
     
     
         8 . An animal foodstuff composition according to  claim 5  wherein said metal-binding protein is chicken Type II Metallothionein. 
     
     
         9 . A method of providing a dietary metal supplement to an animal, said method comprising feeding to said animal a food stuff comprising algal cells expressing a non-native metal-binding protein, such that said algal cells contain said metal-binding protein, said metal-binding protein being bound to a metal.