Intron-Mediated Regulatory Expression for Faster Crop Trait Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for the development of genetically edited plants with improved biotechnological traits such as enhanced crop quality, yield, pest resistance, disease resistance, chemical resistance, and photosynthetic efficiency to meet the growing global food demand sustainably.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of exogenous nucleic acids into non-coding regions of plant cells, specifically using CRISPR-Cas based methods, to modify introns and regulate gene expression, thereby conferring desired traits like pest resistance, disease resistance, and improved nutrient acquisition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional breeding methods are used to improve crop traits, then genetic diversity is maintained, but the rate of improvement is too slow to meet growing food demand
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the nucleotide sequences of introns to alter gene expression parameters. By changing specific intronic sequences (such as splicing sites, regulatory elements, or inserting/excluding introns), the expression levels of associated genes are adjusted, enabling rapid introduction of desired traits like pest resistance or improved yield without traditional breeding timeframes.
2Productivity
If gene expression is increased to improve crop yield, then productivity increases, but energy consumption and metabolic burden on the plant increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making targeted, localized modifications to specific intronic regions rather than globally increasing gene expression throughout the plant. By modifying only the introns associated with specific genes of interest (e.g., pest resistance genes or yield-related genes), the patent achieves localized upregulation of beneficial traits while minimizing overall metabolic burden and energy consumption in non-target tissues and processes.
3Reliability
If multiple genes are modified to confer multiple traits, then plant resistance and quality improve, but the complexity of genetic editing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by developing a universal intron modification platform that can be applied across multiple genes and plant species using the same basic approach. The methodology involves identifying target genes, designing intron modifications (insertions, deletions, sequence changes), and implementing them through standardized CRISPR-Cas or other editing tools. This multi-functional approach allows simultaneous or sequential modification of multiple genes conferring different traits (pest resistance, disease resistance, yield improvement) using a unified system rather than requiring separate complex approaches for each gene.
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
The modified non-coding regions enhance plant resistance to pests and diseases, improve crop yield, and increase nutrient and water acquisition efficiency, resulting in higher crop quality and yield.
Implementation Method 1
the non-coding region is or has been genetically edited using a CRISPR-Cas based method
Implementation Method 2
the guide RNA is complementary to a non-coding region of the genome of a cell
Implementation Method 3
Methods and compositions for intron mediated- expression of regulatory elements for trait development
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are compositions and methods for a non-coding nucleic acid gene editing platform for the delivery of regulatory nucleic acid sequences and small peptides in a cell. In a particular aspect, provided herein is a non-coding nucleic acid gene editing platform to down regulate endogenous genes and genes from pests and pathogens causing diseases. In another aspect, the non-coding nucleic acid gene editing platform described herein is useful to deliver small regulatory peptides encoded from nucleic acid sequences embedded in a non-coding nucleic acid of a gene. More specifically, the non-coding nucleic acid gene editing platform provided herein allows using non-coding nucleic acid from any gene to deliver regulatory nucleic acids and small peptides in a cell. In another aspect, such regulatory nucleic acids and small peptides are useful to develop traits to enhance crop quality and yield.