Mutated CESA Polypeptides for Plant Herbicide Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing plants lack sufficient tolerance to cellulose biosynthesis inhibitor (CBI) herbicides, which inhibit the enzyme cellulose synthase (CESA), leading to reduced efficacy in agricultural applications.
Innovation Solution
Over-expression of mutated variants of Brassica napus and Helianthus annuus cellulose synthase polypeptides, particularly modifying the C-terminal part, confers resistance to CESA-inhibiting herbicides such as azines, enhancing herbicide tolerance in plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If plants are treated with CESA-inhibiting herbicides to control weeds, then weed control efficacy is improved, but crop plants suffer from herbicide toxicity and growth inhibition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the amino acid sequence of the CESA enzyme through mutagenesis. Specific amino acid substitutions (e.g., S1041L, S1038F, S984L, G995S, P996A, G999S) alter the enzyme's properties to reduce its affinity for CESA-inhibiting herbicides while maintaining cellulose synthase activity, thereby conferring herbicide tolerance to crop plants
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a copy of the CESA gene with introduced mutations that confer herbicide tolerance. This mutated CESA gene is then introduced into crop plants through transformation, allowing the plants to produce a herbicide-tolerant version of the cellulose synthase enzyme, effectively copying the tolerance trait from mutagenized plants
2Object-affected harmful factors
If CESA enzyme activity is inhibited by herbicides to kill weeds, then weed control is improved, but cellulose biosynthesis in crop plants is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the biochemical parameters of the CESA enzyme through specific amino acid mutations. These mutations modify the enzyme's active site or binding interface to reduce herbicide binding affinity while preserving the enzyme's catalytic function for cellulose biosynthesis, ensuring reliable cell wall formation even in the presence of herbicides
Solution Approach 2:
The patent identifies and modifies specific segments or regions of the CESA protein sequence that are responsible for herbicide binding. By focusing mutations on particular amino acid positions (e.g., in the C-terminal region), the patent segregates the herbicide-binding function from the catalytic function, allowing selective disruption of herbicide interaction while maintaining enzyme activity
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention refers to a plant or plant part comprising a polynucleotide encoding a mutated cellulose synthase (CESA) polypeptide, the expression of said polynucleotide confers to the plant or plant part tolerance to CESA-inhibiting herbicides, such as azines.