Blue Aleurone Chromosome Rearrangement for Hybrid Seed Selection

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing 42+1 chromosome system for hybrid cereal plant production is inefficient and unstable due to mis-division of the alien addition chromosome, leading to incorrect segregation of male-sterile and male-fertile seeds, which results in yield loss and labor-intensive cytogenetical determination.

Innovation Solution

Rearrangement of the monosomic alien addition chromosome by methods such as gametocidal genes, irradiation, and gene editing to associate the male fertility restoration gene with a selection marker gene on the same chromosome arm, and translocation into the cereal plant genome using homoeologous pairing or gene editing, ensuring accurate detection and reduced yield loss.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the alien addition chromosome is used in the 42+1 chromosome system, then male fertility restoration is achieved, but chromosomal instability and mis-division occur leading to incorrect seed segregation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemale fertility restorationVSAvoidchromosomal stability
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the male fertility restorer gene (Rf1) and the blue aleurone marker gene (Bl) onto the same chromosome arm through chromosomal rearrangement. This merging ensures that both genes are co-inherited and properly segregated together during meiosis, eliminating the mis-division problem that occurred when these genes were on different chromosomes or chromosome arms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses an intermediary chromosomal structure (rearranged alien addition chromosome) that mediates between the need for male fertility restoration and chromosomal stability. The rearranged chromosome serves as a stable carrier that properly transmits both the fertility restorer gene and the marker gene without mis-division.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If the alien addition chromosome is used for male fertility restoration, then hybrid production is enabled, but labor-intensive cytogenetical determination is required for screening

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvehybrid production efficiencyVSAvoidscreening effort
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs the blue aleurone color marker gene (Bl) as a visible phenotypic marker. Seeds carrying the rearranged alien addition chromosome with the Bl gene display a distinctive blue coloration, allowing for simple visual screening and selection of plants with the correct chromosomal configuration without requiring complex cytogenetical analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Reliability

If the alien addition chromosome is used, then male-sterile female parents can be maintained, but yield loss occurs due to incorrect segregation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance of male-sterile female parentVSAvoidyield
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

By merging the male fertility restorer gene and the blue aleurone marker gene on the same chromosome arm, the patent ensures that blue-seeded progeny always carry the fertility restorer gene. This allows for accurate maintenance of male-sterile female parents through simple color-based selection, eliminating yield loss from incorrect segregation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Measurement precision

If chromosomal rearrangement is performed to associate genes, then accurate detection is achieved, but breeding complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidbreeding system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent achieves accurate detection of the correct chromosomal configuration through the blue aleurone color marker. The visual color change provides a simple, accurate, and heritable indicator that eliminates the need for complex cytogenetical screening methods, thereby improving detection accuracy without requiring ongoing breeding system complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

Data Source

PatentEP3675623B1Improved blue aleurone and other segregation systems
Publication Date: 2025.07.09 KWS SAAT SE & CO KGAA
  • EP3675623B1 patent drawingFigure 1A~1C
  • EP3675623B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3675623B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The present invention relates to materials and methods for creating and maintaining a cereal plant line for the production of a hybrid cereal plant, that include for example, and not limitation, using the BLue Aleurone (BLA) system.