Mutated RdpA Enzyme Herbicide Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing resistance of weed species to commonly used herbicides necessitates the development of new herbicide-tolerant traits, particularly for pyridinyloxy acid herbicides, to enhance crop safety and weed control efficacy.
Innovation Solution
A recombinant DNA molecule encoding a polypeptide with specific mutations, such as changing the amino acid at position 82 from leucine to histidine, is introduced into transgenic plants to confer herbicide tolerance. This polypeptide has oxygenase activity against pyridinyloxy acid herbicides, allowing the plants to withstand higher herbicide applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If commonly used herbicides are applied to control weeds, then weed control is achieved, but weed species develop resistance to these herbicides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by mutating specific amino acid residues in the RdpA enzyme (e.g., L82H, V187L, F182W mutations) to alter the enzyme's substrate binding properties. These parameter changes in the enzyme's molecular structure enable it to effectively degrade pyridinyloxy acid herbicides that have different chemical structures from traditional phenoxyalkanoic acid herbicides, thereby overcoming weed resistance to commonly used herbicides.
2Reliability
If higher rates of herbicide are applied to improve weed control, then weed control efficacy is improved, but crop safety is compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary enzyme (mutated RdpA) that specifically targets and degrades pyridinyloxy acid herbicides. This intermediary enzyme acts as a protective mediator in the crop, selectively breaking down the herbicide molecules before they can cause harmful effects, thereby enabling the use of higher herbicide rates for improved weed control while maintaining crop safety.
3Reliability
If the RdpA enzyme activity is improved through protein engineering, then herbicide tolerance is enhanced, but the complexity of the genetic modification process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by introducing specific point mutations at particular amino acid positions (e.g., position 82, 187, 182, 104) in the RdpA enzyme rather than attempting to redesign the entire enzyme. This localized approach to protein engineering achieves enhanced herbicide tolerance through targeted amino acid substitutions while minimizing the overall complexity of the genetic modification process.
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 transgenic plants expressing the mutated polypeptide exhibit enhanced tolerance to pyridinyloxy acid herbicides, improving crop safety and weed control measures by enabling higher herbicide application rates without harming the crops.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention provides a recombinant DNA molecule encoding an enzyme that degrades herbicides
Implementation Method 2
This polypeptide has oxygenase activity against pyridinyloxy acid herbicides, allowing the plants to withstand higher herbicide applications
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention provides a polypeptide and recombinant DNA molecule suitable for conferring tolerance to pyridinyloxy acid herbicides, as well as a herbicide-tolerant plant, seed, cell and plant part containing the recombinant DNA molecule and the method of use thereof.