Endogenous ISY Protein Expression for Seed Yield
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current agricultural practices face challenges in increasing seed yield to meet the growing global population's food demands, as existing methods often result in smaller seed sizes or require costly and time-consuming regulatory approvals for genetically modified crops.
Innovation Solution
Genetically engineered land plants expressing a protein with homology to plant invertase or pectin methylesterase inhibitors, known as ISY proteins, or an RNA that increases seed yield, referred to as ISY RNA, are developed. These plants are designed to enhance seed production without relying on foreign DNA sequences, potentially avoiding regulatory hurdles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If genetic engineering methods are used to increase seed yield, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and regulatory approval time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and utilizes the endogenous ISY gene already present in the plant genome, rather than introducing foreign DNA sequences. This approach removes the need for complex transgenic regulatory approvals while maintaining the seed yield enhancement effect, directly resolving the contradiction between productivity improvement and regulatory complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs the plant's own endogenous gene (ISY gene) to achieve seed yield enhancement. By regulating the expression of this self-existing gene through cisgenic modification, the plant essentially serves itself to improve productivity without requiring external genetic material, thereby avoiding transgenic regulatory hurdles
2Productivity
If carbon capture efficiency is increased through genetic engineering, then seed yield is improved, but seed size decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the expression parameters of the ISY gene rather than introducing foreign genes that fundamentally alter carbon partitioning. By modulating the expression level of the endogenous ISY gene through cisgenic approaches, the patent achieves a balance where both seed yield and seed size can be improved or maintained, avoiding the trade-off present in transgenic approaches
Solution Approach 2:
The invention maintains homogeneity in the genetic background by using only the plant's own endogenous ISY gene. This avoids the heterogeneity introduced by foreign DNA sequences and their associated metabolic pathways that cause uneven carbon distribution and reduced seed size, allowing uniform improvement in both yield and seed characteristics
Data Source
AI summary
A genetically engineered land plant that expresses a protein that has homology to a plant invertase inhibitor and/or a pectin methylesterase inhibitor and that increases seed yield with increased expression (“an ISY protein”) is disclosed. The plant comprises a modified gene for the ISY protein. The ISY protein comprises one or more of an ISY protein of Camelina sativa comprising SEQ ID NO: 2 or a fragment, Camelina sativa homolog, or ortholog thereof. The modified gene comprises a promoter and a nucleic acid sequence encoding the ISY protein. The promoter is non-cognate with respect to the nucleic acid sequence encoding the ISY protein. The modified gene is configured such that transcription of the nucleic acid sequence is initiated from the promoter and results in expression of the ISY protein. A genetically engineered land plant that expresses an RNA that increases seed yield with increased expression also is disclosed.