ALS Gene Mutation in Beta vulgaris for Herbicide Tolerance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sugar beet plants are highly susceptible to ALS inhibitor herbicides, limiting their use in weed control due to lack of tolerance, and existing mutants do not provide sufficient agronomic benefits, such as resistance to a broad spectrum of weeds.
Innovation Solution
Development of non-transgenic Beta vulgaris plants with a mutation at position 1705-1707 of the ALS gene, encoding leucine at position 569, which confers at least 100 times less sensitivity to ALS inhibitor herbicides, allowing for robust herbicide tolerance and improved weed control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional sugar beet plants are used for weed control with ALS inhibitor herbicides, then existing herbicides can suppress weed growth, but the sugar beet plants themselves are highly susceptible and damaged by these herbicides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by introducing a specific point mutation (G1706T) in the ALS gene that changes the amino acid at position 569 from tryptophan to leucine. This molecular-level parameter change in the enzyme structure fundamentally alters the herbicide binding affinity, reducing susceptibility by at least 100 times while preserving catalytic function, thereby enabling the plant to withstand ALS inhibitor herbicides for effective weed control
2Reliability
If existing ALS inhibitor herbicides are applied to control weeds in beet fields, then weed growth is suppressed under normal conditions, but efficacy deteriorates under adverse environmental conditions and against certain noxious weeds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves universality by developing sugar beet plants with broad-spectrum herbicide tolerance through the ALS gene mutation. These plants can reliably respond to multiple ALS inhibitor herbicides from different chemical classes (sulfonylureas, imidazolinones, triazolopyrimidines, pyrimidinyl(thio)benzoates, and sulfonylaminocarbonyltriazolinones), enabling consistent weed control across diverse weed species and environmental conditions
3Object-affected harmful factors
If transgenic methods are used to introduce herbicide tolerance, then resistance to ALS inhibitor herbicides can be achieved, but the plants become genetically modified which may have regulatory and consumer acceptance issues
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies self-service by utilizing the plant's own endogenous ALS gene rather than introducing foreign transgenes. The spontaneous point mutation occurs within the plant's native genome, allowing the plant to self-regulate herbicide tolerance through its own genetic system. This non-transgenic approach achieves the desired herbicide tolerance while avoiding the complexities and regulatory hurdles associated with genetic modification
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an ALS inhibitor herbicide tolerant Beta vulgaris plant and parts thereof comprising a mutation of an endogenous acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene, wherein the ALS gene encodes an ALS polypeptide containing an amino acid different from tryptophan at a position 569 of the ALS polypeptide.