Cellobionic Acid Elicitors for Plant Pathogen Resistance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The agricultural industry faces challenges in combating plant pathogens due to emerging biological resistance and side effects of existing pesticides, necessitating the development of new, environmentally friendly plant protection compounds.
Innovation Solution
The use of cellobionic acid and oxidised cellodextrins, such as C1-oxidised, C4-oxidised, and C1- and C4-oxidised cellodextrins, as plant pathogen defence elicitors to activate plant immune responses, combined with phytopharmaceutically acceptable carriers and surfactants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional pesticides are used to combat plant pathogens, then pathogen control effectiveness is improved, but environmental harm and side effects worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts cell wall degradation products (which are normally harmful to plants as they indicate cell wall damage) into beneficial elicitors. LPMO enzymes produce oxidized cellodextrins that, instead of being merely degradation products, serve as potent defence elicitors that activate plant immunity, thereby converting a harmful signal into a protective response.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces LPMO enzymes and their products (oxidized cellodextrins) as intermediary substances between the plant and pathogens. These intermediaries act as signalling molecules that bridge the gap between cell wall damage and immune activation, mediating the plant's defensive response without requiring direct chemical pesticides.
2Reliability
If conventional pesticides are used to combat plant pathogens, then pathogen control effectiveness is improved, but development of biological resistance worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms cell wall degradation (a process that benefits pathogens by providing nutrients) into a beneficial signalling mechanism. The same enzymatic activity that breaks down cell walls also produces elicitors that warn the plant of attack, converting pathogen-friendly degradation into plant-defensive signalling.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent establishes a feedback loop where cell wall degradation products serve as signals that feed back to the plant's immune system. When cell walls are damaged by pathogens or enzymes, the resulting oligosaccharides and oxidized cellodextrins act as feedback signals that activate defence genes, creating a self-regulating immune response system.
3Reliability
If LPMO decomposition of cellulose is used to produce defence elicitors, then plant defence activation is improved, but manufacturing complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent exploits the multi-functionality of LPMO enzymes, which can simultaneously degrade cellulose and produce defence elicitors. This single enzymatic process serves dual purposes: breaking down cell walls for nutrient release and generating signalling molecules for plant immunity, thereby simplifying the overall system compared to separate production methods.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes changes in oxidation state as a key parameter to differentiate between harmful and beneficial products. By controlling the oxidation level of cellodextrins (producing oxidized versus non-oxidized forms), the system selectively generates defence elicitors with specific activities, allowing precise control over the biological response without complex additional processing steps.
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
These compounds effectively trigger plant defence mechanisms, enhancing resistance to pathogens without adverse effects on human health or the environment, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional pesticides.
Implementation Method 1
LPMO are a class of copper-enzymes that catalyse the oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds of recalcitrant polysaccharides including cellulose and chitin
Implementation Method 2
LPMO are a class of copper-enzymes that catalyse the oxidative cleavage of glycosidic bonds
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to uses of, and methods employing, cellobionic acid or a phytopharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof as plant pathogen defence elicitor. Also provided are phytopharmaceutical compositions comprising cellobionic acid or a phytopharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and applications thereof. In certain preferred embodiments, the compositions may further comprise other oxidised cellodextrin(s) or may comprise oxidised cellodextrins and native cellodextrins. In certain preferred embodiments, the compositions may be produced by decomposition of cellulose by one or more lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMO).