ALS Enzyme Mutations for Herbicide Tolerance in Sugar Beet

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Solution Overview

Problem

Sugar beet plants are highly susceptible to ALS inhibitor herbicides, limiting their use for weed control in sugar beet cultivation, and existing mutants do not provide sufficient tolerance to various ALS inhibitor herbicide classes for effective weed management.

Innovation Solution

Development of sugar beet plants with specific mutations in the ALS gene, where tryptophan at position 569 is substituted with leucine and proline at position 188 with serine, enabling tolerance to ALS inhibitor herbicides from various classes, including sulfonylureas, sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones, triazolopyrimidines, and imidazolinones, allowing for effective weed control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If conventional sugar beet plants are used, then they are susceptible to ALS inhibitor herbicides, but this limits weed control options and reduces agricultural productivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveagricultural productivityVSAvoidsusceptibility to ALS inhibitor herbicides

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the amino acid sequence of the ALS enzyme through specific mutations (Trp569Leu and Pro188Ser). These genetic parameter changes alter the enzyme's properties to confer tolerance to ALS inhibitor herbicides, enabling the use of these herbicides for weed control in sugar beet without damaging the crop, thus improving agricultural productivity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If existing ALS inhibitor herbicides are applied to conventional sugar beet, then weed control is achieved, but the crop is damaged due to high susceptibility

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweed control efficacyVSAvoidcrop damage from herbicides

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the ALS enzyme parameters through specific amino acid substitutions (Trp569Leu and Pro188Ser mutations) to change the enzyme's sensitivity to ALS inhibitor herbicides. This parameter change enables the crop to tolerate herbicide applications that effectively control weeds, eliminating the harmful effect of crop damage while maintaining weed control efficacy

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful susceptibility of sugar beet to ALS inhibitors into a beneficial tolerance trait through genetic mutation. The mutated ALS enzyme now confers herbicide tolerance, allowing the previously harmful herbicides to be used beneficially for weed control without damaging the sugar beet crop

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

3Reliability

If sugar beet plants with single mutations are developed, then some tolerance is achieved, but sufficient tolerance to various ALS inhibitor classes is not obtained

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveherbicide toleranceVSAvoidtolerance to various ALS inhibitor herbicide classes

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple beneficial mutations (Trp569Leu and Pro188Ser) into a single ALS enzyme to achieve combined tolerance effects. This combination of mutations provides reliable and broad-spectrum tolerance to multiple classes of ALS inhibitor herbicides, including sulfonylureas, sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones, triazolopyrimidines, and imidazolinones, enhancing both reliability and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2931034B2Use of ALS inhibitor herbicides for control of unwanted vegetation in ALS inhibitor herbicide tolerant beta vulgaris plants

Publication Date: 2022.04.27 BAYER CROPSCIENCE AG

Figure 1

AI summary

The present invention relates to the use of the ALS inhibitor herbicides for controlling unwanted vegetation in ALS inhibitor herbicide tolerant Beta vulgaris plants, more especially, present invention relates to the use of ALS inhibitor herbicides for control of unwanted vegetation in Beta vulgaris, preferably in sugar beet growing areas in which the Beta vulgaris, preferably sugar beet comprise mutations in the ALS gene where the tryptophan at position 569 in the encoded ALS enzyme is substituted by another amino acid (preferably by leucine), and a mutation in the ALS gene where the proline at position 188 in the encoded ALS enzyme is substituted by another amino acid (preferably by serine).