Modulating Plant Carbon Levels via Nucleic Acid Polypeptides
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods fail to effectively modulate carbon levels in plants under varying nitrogen conditions, which is crucial for efficient growth and development, as the balance of carbon and nitrogen is essential for nitrogen assimilation and storage in plants.
Innovation Solution
Introducing isolated nucleic acids encoding polypeptides with specific amino acid sequences into plant cells to modulate carbon levels, either increasing or decreasing them, using regulatory regions like promoters to control expression, resulting in plants with altered carbon content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional methods are used to modulate carbon levels in plants, then carbon levels can be adjusted, but the ability to effectively modulate carbon levels under varying nitrogen conditions is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic regulation of carbon metabolism by introducing nucleic acids that encode polypeptides capable of responding to nitrogen availability. The expressed polypeptides dynamically adjust carbon level modulation based on nitrogen conditions, enabling the plant to adapt its carbon metabolism in real-time according to environmental nitrogen status.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the biochemical parameters of carbon metabolism by introducing exogenous nucleic acids that alter polypeptide composition and function. This modifies key metabolic parameters such as carbon accumulation rates, carbon-nitrogen balance ratios, and metabolic flux distribution, enabling effective carbon level modulation under varying nitrogen conditions.
2Quantity of substance
If nucleic acids encoding polypeptides are introduced into plant cells to modulate carbon levels, then carbon content can be increased or decreased, but the complexity of the genetic modification process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs universal nucleic acid vectors and polypeptide expression systems that can be applied across different plant species and target multiple carbon metabolism pathways simultaneously. The introduced nucleic acids serve multiple functions including gene expression, metabolic regulation, and phenotypic modification, reducing the need for multiple separate genetic modifications.
3Quantity of substance
If carbon levels are modulated in plants, then oil, carbohydrate, and caloric content of food and animal feed can be improved, but the balance between carbon and nitrogen utilization may be disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the introduced polypeptides monitor and respond to the plant's nitrogen status and carbon metabolism state. This feedback regulation ensures that carbon level modulation occurs in a manner that maintains overall carbon-nitrogen balance, preventing disruption while achieving increased oil, carbohydrate, and caloric content in plant products.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and materials for modulating (e.g., increasing or decreasing) carbon levels in plants are disclosed. For example, nucleic acids encoding carbon-modulating polypeptides are disclosed as well as methods for using such nucleic acids to transform plant cells. Also disclosed are plants having increased carbon levels.