Insect-Resistant Genes with Chimeric Pesticidal Proteins
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Solution Overview
Problem
The intensive use of Bacillus thuringiensis-based insecticides has led to resistance in field populations of certain pests, and modifying pesticidal proteins to improve control of one pest can diminish or reduce resistance to another, necessitating the discovery of new forms of pesticidal toxins that maintain resistance to multiple pest species.
Innovation Solution
Compositions and methods involving recombinant and chimeric nucleic acid molecules encoding pesticidal proteins, such as Axmi486 variants, are used to transform bacteria, plants, and seeds, enhancing resistance to Spodoptera species while maintaining resistance to Plutella xylostella and other pests, including Anticarsia, Diatraea grandiosella, Diatraea saccharalis, Heliothis virescens, Helicoverpa zea, and Pseudoplusia includens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If Bacillus thuringiensis-based insecticides are intensively used to control insect pests, then pest control efficacy is improved, but resistant insect varieties develop
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying amino acid sequences of pesticidal proteins to create variants with altered insecticidal properties. Specifically, the patent describes modifying Cry1Ac protein sequences to create variants that maintain or improve efficacy against resistant pest populations while preserving activity against multiple pest species. This involves changing specific amino acid residues to alter the protein's interaction with insect receptors, thereby overcoming resistance mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials by creating chimeric pesticidal proteins that combine functional domains from different Cry proteins. These chimeric proteins integrate regions from various Cry variants to produce a single protein with broad-spectrum activity and enhanced resistance management properties. The composite structure allows simultaneous targeting of multiple pest species and resistance mechanisms.
2Reliability
If pesticidal proteins are modified to improve control of one pest, then resistance to that pest is improved, but resistance to other pests is diminished or reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing pesticidal protein variants and chimeric proteins that simultaneously maintain activity against multiple pest species and resistance levels. The engineered proteins are constructed to perform multiple functions: controlling resistant target pests while preserving efficacy against non-target pest species. This is achieved through strategic amino acid modifications and domain combinations that preserve binding affinity across diverse insect receptors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making specific, targeted amino acid modifications at particular positions within the pesticidal protein sequence. Rather than globally altering the protein structure, precise local changes are introduced to modify interactions with specific insect receptors while preserving overall protein function and broad-spectrum activity. This allows differential optimization for different pest species.
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods for conferring pesticidal activity to bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions comprising a coding sequence for a toxin polypeptide are provided. The coding sequences can be used in DNA constructs or expression cassettes for transformation and expression in plants and bacteria. Compositions also comprise transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, tissues, and seeds. In particular, isolated toxin nucleic acid molecules are provided. Additionally, amino acid sequences corresponding to the polynucleotides are encompassed, and antibodies specifically binding to those amino acid sequences. In particular, the present invention provides for isolated nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleotide sequences encoding the amino acid sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NO: 16 to 30, or the nucleotide sequence set forth in any of SEQ ID NO: 1 to 15, as well as variants and fragments thereof.