Aquaporin Polypeptides for Plant Water Use Efficiency
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Crop plants are highly susceptible to abiotic stress conditions such as salinity, drought, and temperature fluctuations, leading to significant damage and yield loss, and existing methods are inadequate in enhancing water and fertilizer use efficiency and biomass production.
Innovation Solution
Expression of exogenous polynucleotides encoding aquaporin polypeptides with specific amino acid sequences, such as TLXFXFAGVGS, within plants to increase abiotic stress tolerance, water use efficiency, fertilizer use efficiency, biomass, vigor, and yield, by enhancing water and solute transport through membranes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional breeding or genetic engineering methods are used to improve fertilizer use efficiency, then FUE can be enhanced, but the complexity of genetic traits and polygenic nature make the process complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex genetic improvement task by identifying and manipulating specific individual genes (aquaporin genes) rather than attempting to modify multiple polygenic traits simultaneously. This gene-level segmentation simplifies the breeding process while maintaining effectiveness in improving fertilizer use efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the expression levels of aquaporin genes through genetic engineering approaches, thereby changing the physiological parameters related to water and nutrient transport. This allows direct manipulation of FUE-related parameters without navigating the full complexity of polygenic inheritance.
2Reliability
If aquaporin genes are over-expressed to improve water use efficiency, then WUE increases, but the molecular biology techniques required add complexity to the breeding process
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses molecular biology techniques as intermediary tools to achieve the desired physiological outcome (improved WUE). By employing vectors, promoters, and transformation systems as intermediaries, the patent enables controlled over-expression of aquaporin genes, thereby improving water use efficiency while managing the complexity through standardized molecular biology protocols.
3Reliability
If plants are exposed to severe abiotic stress conditions, then stress tolerance can be selected for, but continuous exposure causes major alterations in plant metabolism leading to cell death and yield losses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-introducing stress tolerance genes (aquaporin genes) into plants before they encounter severe abiotic stress conditions. This preemptive genetic modification enables plants to withstand stress without undergoing the metabolic alterations that lead to cell death, thereby maintaining both stress tolerance and productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of abiotic stress into a beneficial selection pressure by using moderate stress conditions to select for plants with improved aquaporin gene expression. This approach transforms the potentially harmful stress exposure into a useful tool for identifying and propagating stress-tolerant varieties that maintain yield.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method significantly increases plant tolerance to abiotic stresses, improves water and fertilizer use efficiency, and enhances biomass and yield production, demonstrating improved performance under both stress and optimal conditions.
Implementation Method 1
Aquaporins (AQPs), the water channel proteins, are involved in transport of water through the membranes, maintenance of cell water balance and homeostasis under changing environmental and developmental conditions
Data Source
AI summary
Polynucleotides, polypeptides, plant cells expressing same and methods of using same for increasing abiotic stress tolerance water use efficiency (WUE), fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), biomass, vigor and/or yield of a plant. The method is effected by expressing within the plant an exogenous polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence at least 80% homologous to the amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs:33, 34, 30, 27-29, 31, 32, 35-52, 1401-1403, 1405-1435, 1437-1494, 1496-1542, 1544-1553, 1555-1559, 1561-1827, 1829-1866, 1868-2450, 2453-2458, 2460-2463, 2465-2481, 2483, 2485-2746, 2765-2769, 3052-3065 and 3067-3259, thereby increasing the water use efficiency (WUE), the fertilizer use efficiency (FUE), the biomass, the vigor and/or the yield of the plant.