CLOSTRIDIUM PERFRINGENS IS A CAUSATIVE AGENT OF NECROTIC ENTERITIS AND THUS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM TO THE POULTRY INDUSTRY WITH LOSSES ESTIMATED AT US$6 BILLION WORLD-WIDE. TO AVOID THE RISK OF INCREASED ANTIBIOTIC RESISTANCE, THERE IS A NEED FOR NON-ANTIBIOTIC INTERVENTION METHODS TO SPECIFICALLY REDUCE THE CARRIAGE OF C. PERFRINGENS IN POULTRY. A KEY PHAGE LYTIC ENZYME (PLYCP41) HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED WITH HIGH LYTIC ACTIVITY TO KILL C. PERFRINGENS. TO PROTECT THE PLYCP41 PROTEIN FROM CONDITIONS IN THE CHICKEN INTESTINAL TRACT (ACIDIC PH AND PROTEASES) WE HAVE EXPRESSED PLYCP41 IN YEAST (SACCHAROMYCES CEREVISIAE) AND PLANTS (NICOTIANA BENTHAMIANA) AS POTENTIAL CARRIERS FOR DELIVERY OF THE ENZYME TO THE LOWER GUT. THIS PROJECT WILL FEED CHICKENS PLYCP41 EXPRESSED IN PLANTS AND YEAST, AND ASSAY FOR THE ABILITY OF THESE FEED ADDITIVES TO REDUCE C. PERFRINGENS COLONIZATION IN THE GUT. THIS PROJECT ALSO SERVES AS CAPACITY BUILDING WITH TWO HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES. IF THIS ENDOLYSIN STRATEGY IS SUCCESSFUL FOR POULTRY, THERE IS ALSO A NEED FOR C. PERFRINGENS CONTROL IN THE BEEF AND PORK INDUSTRIES.