Bt Protein Stacking in Plants to Delay Insect Resistance
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing Bt-based transgenic plants face rapid development of insect resistance due to the use of single pesticidal proteins, necessitating the design of plants that are less prone to resistance by their target pests.
Innovation Solution
The use of a combination of Bacillus thuringiensis pesticidal proteins (Bt PP), specifically a double-combination of Cry2Aa, Cry1Ab, and Cry1Bb, or a triple-combination of these proteins, expressed in plants to enhance resistance against specific insect pests, along with a nucleic acid construct using a Rubisco promoter sequence for effective pest management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single Bt pesticidal protein is used in transgenic plants, then the plant provides insecticidal activity, but insects rapidly develop resistance to the toxin
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple Bt pesticidal proteins (Cry1Ab, Cry1Bb, Cry2Aa) into a single transgenic plant variety, creating a multi-toxin system that delivers both immediate insecticidal activity and prolonged effectiveness by targeting multiple insect physiological pathways simultaneously, thereby delaying resistance development
2Reliability
If multiple Bt pesticidal proteins are combined in a transgenic plant, then resistance development is delayed, but the complexity of the genetic construct increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a universal promoter (Rubisco promoter) that simultaneously drives the expression of multiple different Bt pesticidal protein genes within a single genetic construct, enabling one promoter element to perform the multi-function of regulating several toxin genes and reducing overall construct complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent nests multiple Bt toxin coding sequences within a single T-DNA boundary structure, organizing the genetic elements in a hierarchical manner where multiple functional units (toxin genes) are contained within one integrated transfer unit, simplifying the transformation process and genetic analysis
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 combination of Bt PP in plants provides increased resistance to insect pests, reducing the likelihood of resistance evolution and enhancing pest management, with synergistic effect on improving pest control, with synergistic effects on increasing resistance.
Implementation Method 1
a nucleic acid construct that includes a Rubisco promoter sequence operably linked to a nucleic acid encoding a Bt PP
Implementation Method 2
it may bind specific receptors on the surface of the insects' mid-gut epithelium
Implementation Method 3
integrate into the lipid bilayer of the brush border membrane opening non-selective ion channels that disrupt the osmotic pressure
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to the use of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) pesticidal proteins (PP), and, specifically, to the use of a combination of Bt PP for inhibiting, killing or managing insect pests. More specifically, the pesticidal protein (PP) combination may be co-expressed in a plant cell or plant. The present disclosure also encompasses methods for expressing an effective combination of two or 2 or 3 Bt PP in plants such as Eucalyptus and methods useful for managing insect pests using a combination of Bt PP. The disclosure also relates to Tg event No. 49, to a recombinant DNA molecule corresponding to the insertion locus (insert and flanking genomic sequences) in Tg event No. 49, and to plants comprising the recombinant DNA molecule. The invention also relates to uses of such plants to manage insect pest infestation, and to produce further plants comprising the recombinant DNA molecule.