Chimeric VIP Toxins for Broad-Spectrum Lepidopteran Pest Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

There is a need for new and effective pest control agents that can target a wide spectrum of economically important insect pests, particularly those resistant to existing control agents, and provide equal to or increased potency, while being environmentally acceptable.

Innovation Solution

Development of insecticidal chimeric VIP toxins, such as IRDIG35563, which are constructed from the first 613 amino acid residues of VIP3Ab1 and a C-terminal portion of another VIP toxin, and their variants, expressed in transgenic host cells and plants, offering broad-spectrum insecticidal activity against key Lepidopteran pests including those resistant to Cry toxins.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemical pesticides are applied intensively to control insect pests, then insect control effectiveness is improved, but harmful effects on beneficial insects and environmental damage increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsect control effectivenessVSAvoidharmful effects on beneficial insects and environment
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical structure parameters of insecticidal proteins by creating chimeric VIP toxins with modified amino acid sequences. These parameter changes in protein structure enable new modes of action that are effective against resistant insects while maintaining selectivity and reducing harm to beneficial insects and the environment

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates composite insecticidal proteins by fusing different VIP toxin sequences (e.g., VIP3A and VIP3B) to form chimeric toxins. This composite approach combines functional domains from different parent toxins to achieve broad-spectrum activity and overcome resistance while maintaining environmental safety

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If existing Bt toxins are used to control insect pests, then pest control is achieved, but resistant insect populations develop reducing long-term effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepest control effectivenessVSAvoidlong-term effectiveness against resistant populations
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the amino acid sequence parameters of existing VIP toxins to create chimeric variants with altered binding characteristics. These parameter changes enable the toxins to recognize and bind to midgut receptors in resistant insect populations that have evolved to resist native Bt toxins, thereby restoring and extending long-term control effectiveness

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments existing VIP toxin sequences into functional domains and recombines them in novel configurations. By dividing and recombining toxin domains (e.g., N-terminal and C-terminal regions from different VIP toxins), the invention creates new antigenic profiles that bypass resistance mechanisms while maintaining insecticidal activity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If broad-spectrum insecticidal activity is pursued to control multiple pest species, then versatility against different pests is improved, but specificity and potency against individual target pests may be reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveactivity against multiple pest speciesVSAvoidpotency against individual target pests
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent designs chimeric VIP toxins with multi-functional capabilities by incorporating conserved functional domains from different VIP toxins that recognize multiple receptor types across diverse Lepidopteran species. This universal design allows a single toxin to effectively control multiple pest species including fall armyworm, corn earworm, and cotton bollworm while maintaining high potency through optimized binding interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies local quality optimization by preserving critical functional regions (such as receptor-binding domains) with high sequence identity to maintain potency against specific targets, while varying non-critical regions to expand spectrum. This localized optimization ensures that key interactive residues remain conserved for high-affinity binding while other regions diverge to recognize multiple pest species

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentUS11781152B2Chimeric insecticidal proteins
Publication Date: 2023.10.10 CORTEVA AGRISCIENCE LLC

AI summary

IRDIG35563 vegetative insecticidal toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, use of such toxins to control pests, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed. The invention includes IRDIG35563 variants, fragments and analogs.