Exogenous Nucleic Acids for Plant Cold Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Plants face significant challenges in cold stress conditions, leading to reduced growth, biomass production, and increased susceptibility to damage, particularly in agricultural crops like corn and cotton, due to chilling temperatures, which limit geographical range and growing seasons, and current methods for improving cold tolerance are time-consuming and labor-intensive.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of exogenous nucleic acids into plant cells, specifically regulatory regions linked to nucleotide sequences encoding polypeptides with high Hidden Markov Model bit scores or sequence identities, to enhance cold tolerance, including those with CCT motif domains, B-box zinc finger domains, and short-chain dehydrogenase domains, which are integrated into the plant genome to modulate cold tolerance levels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional breeding methods are used to improve cold tolerance in plants, then cold tolerance may be improved, but the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical breeding methods with genetic engineering techniques. Specifically, it introduces exogenous nucleic acids encoding cold tolerance polypeptides (such as CBF/DREB transcription factors, ICE1, and other cold response proteins) directly into plant genomes, bypassing the lengthy process of conventional cross-breeding and selection required to achieve similar cold tolerance improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the genetic parameters of plants by introducing specific nucleotide sequences that encode cold tolerance polypeptides. This includes modifying gene expression levels, introducing new genes from other species, or enhancing existing cold response pathways through targeted genetic modifications, thereby achieving rapid improvement in cold tolerance without traditional breeding timeframes.
2Reliability
If exogenous nucleic acids are introduced to enhance cold tolerance, then cold tolerance and growth under low temperature conditions are improved, but the complexity of the genetic modification process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal genetic engineering approaches that can be applied across multiple plant species. The exogenous nucleic acids and polypeptide encoding sequences are designed to function broadly in different plant systems, using conserved genetic elements and promoters that work across species boundaries, thereby reducing the need for species-specific optimization and simplifying the overall modification process.
3Reliability
If plants are exposed to cold stress conditions, then natural selection may occur, but growth rate and biomass production are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary genetic modification to equip plants with cold tolerance capabilities before they are exposed to cold stress conditions. By pre-introducing exogenous nucleic acids that encode cold response polypeptides, plants are prepared in advance to withstand cold temperatures, allowing them to maintain normal growth rates and productivity even when exposed to chilling conditions that would otherwise reduce growth and biomass production.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and materials for modulating cold tolerance levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding cold tolerance-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased cold tolerance levels and plant products produced from plants having increased cold tolerance levels.