Maize Tissue-Specific Promoter for Insecticidal Protein Expression

Solution Overview

Problem

Current genetically modified crops expressing insecticidal proteins constitutively in all tissues, including pollen, can harm non-target insects and compromise reproductive structures, leading to unintended effects and reduced efficacy.

Innovation Solution

Development of transgenic plants with a regulatory nucleotide sequence that directs expression of a protein encoding polynucleotide in most plant tissues while excluding reproductive structures like pollen and tassel, using a chimeric polynucleotide construct associated with a transcription initiation function from an actin depolymerizing factor 3 gene, ensuring minimal expression in these tissues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If constitutive expression of insecticidal proteins is used in all plant tissues, then pest control efficacy is improved, but harm to non-target insects and reproductive structures increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control efficacyVSAvoidharm to non-target insects and reproductive structures

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using tissue-specific promoters to control insecticidal protein expression differently in various plant tissues. The 35S promoter drives expression in vegetative tissues (leaves, stalks, roots) while the polyembryonic promoter drives expression in reproductive tissues (pollen, seeds), allowing localized pest control without harming non-target organisms in specific tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the expression control by dividing the plant into different tissue types and applying different regulatory mechanisms to each segment. By using separate promoter elements for vegetative and reproductive tissues, the system achieves spatial segmentation of gene expression, enabling pest control in feeding tissues while protecting reproductive structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If insecticidal proteins are expressed in pollen and tassel tissues, then overall pest control coverage is improved, but non-target insect populations are harmed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest control coverageVSAvoidnon-target insect population stability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using tissue-specific promoters to control insecticidal protein expression differently in various plant tissues. The 35S promoter drives expression in vegetative tissues (leaves, stalks, roots) while the polyembryonic promoter drives expression in reproductive tissues (pollen, seeds), allowing localized pest control without harming non-target organisms in specific tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If high levels of insecticidal protein are accumulated in all tissues, then pest deterrence is improved, but plant reproductive development is compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepest deterrenceVSAvoidreproductive structure development

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by using tissue-specific promoters to control insecticidal protein expression differently in various plant tissues. The 35S promoter drives expression in vegetative tissues (leaves, stalks, roots) while the polyembryonic promoter drives expression in reproductive tissues (pollen, seeds), allowing localized pest control without harming non-target organisms in specific tissues.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the expression control by dividing the plant into different tissue types and applying different regulatory mechanisms to each segment. By using separate promoter elements for vegetative and reproductive tissues, the system achieves spatial segmentation of gene expression, enabling pest control in feeding tissues while protecting reproductive structures.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11261456B2Plant regulatory sequence

Publication Date: 2022.03.01 SYNGENTA CROP PROTECITON AG

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to regulatory sequences. In particular, the disclosure relates to a regulatory nucleic acid molecule, at least part of which has a transcription initiation function directing expression of an operably associated protein encoding polynucleotide of interest to non-tassel tissue in maize, but not or substantially not to tassel. The disclosure further relates to chimeric genes and expression cassettes comprising the regulatory nucleic acid molecule and to transgenic plants comprising the chimeric genes and expression cassettes.