Novel Insecticidal Proteins for Corn Rootworm Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for controlling corn rootworms, such as chemical pesticides, face challenges including environmental impact, resistance development, and difficulty in targeting underground larvae, necessitating the need for alternative and environmentally friendly pest control mechanisms with a different mode of action.
Innovation Solution
Development of novel insecticidal proteins, NitromobCRW and its variants, which are expressed in transgenic plants or microorganisms to target corn rootworms and other Coleopteran insects, providing a toxic effect that inhibits survival, growth, and reproduction, and can be used in combination with other control strategies to enhance pest control efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If chemical pesticides are applied to control corn rootworms, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but environmental impact increases and resistance development occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical structure parameters by designing novel insecticidal proteins with amino acid sequences that are substantially identical to or divergent from Cry3A, Cry3Bb1, and mCry3A. These parameter changes in protein structure create new modes of action that maintain effectiveness against corn rootworm while avoiding the environmental and resistance issues associated with conventional chemical pesticides and existing Bt proteins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite strategies by combining multiple insecticidal proteins with different modes of action (Cry3A, Cry3Bb1, mCry3A, and their variants) into transgenic plant systems. This composite approach provides synergistic pest control effectiveness while reducing the environmental burden compared to intensive chemical pesticide applications.
2Reliability
If chemical pesticides are applied to control corn rootworms, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but resistant insect varieties appear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces parameter changes in the amino acid sequences of insecticidal proteins, creating variants with at least 80% identity to reference sequences. These sequence variations produce proteins with different binding affinities and modes of action, effectively counteracting insect resistance by presenting new molecular targets that resistant insect populations have not adapted to.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic pest management system by expressing multiple insecticidal proteins with different modes of action in transgenic plants. This dynamic combination of proteins adapts to and counters developing insect resistance, maintaining long-term control effectiveness that static single-protein or chemical pesticide approaches cannot achieve.
3Reliability
If chemical pesticides are applied to control corn rootworms, then pest control effectiveness is improved, but application complexity increases due to underground larvae
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service pest control by engineering transgenic corn plants that autonomously produce and express insecticidal proteins in their tissues. The plants self-protect against corn rootworm infestation without requiring external chemical pesticide applications, particularly eliminating the need for difficult rescue treatments targeting underground larvae.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies preliminary action by incorporating insecticidal proteins into the plant genome before pest infestation occurs. The transgenic plants are pre-equipped with defensive proteins that provide continuous protection throughout the growing season, eliminating the need for reactive pesticide applications when larvae are already present and difficult to treat.
4Reliability
If conventional Cry proteins are expressed in transgenic plants, then insect control effectiveness is improved, but resistance development occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the amino acid sequences of conventional Cry proteins to create novel variants. These sequence modifications alter the proteins' modes of action and binding characteristics, maintaining effectiveness against corn rootworm while circumventing resistance mechanisms that have developed against standard Cry3A, Cry3Bb1, and mCry3A proteins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic resistance management strategy by combining multiple Cry protein variants with different modes of action in transgenic plants. This dynamic multi-protein approach adapts to and counters developing insect resistance, providing sustained control effectiveness that single-protein systems cannot maintain.
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods for controlling plant pests are disclosed. In particular, novel insecticidal proteins having toxicity against Coleopteran and/or Lepidopteran insect pests are provided. Nucleic acid molecules encoding the novel insecticidal proteins are also provided. Methods of making the insecticidal proteins and methods of using the insecticidal proteins and nucleic acids encoding the insecticidal proteins of the invention, for example in transgenic plants to confer protection from insect damage, are also disclosed.