NSP1 and CEP Signaling for Mycorrhization Under High Nutrients
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Solution Overview
Problem
High levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in agricultural soils due to fertilizer use suppress mycorrhization and symbiotic responses in plants, leading to reduced nutrient uptake and energetic costs, while conventional methods are resource-intensive and contribute to environmental issues.
Innovation Solution
Genetically altered plants with enhanced activity of NSP1, NSP2 proteins, or C-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDE (CEP) peptides, combined with exogenous strigolactones or CEP peptides, to promote mycorrhization and symbiotic responses under high nutrient conditions, and methods of cultivation that include genetic alterations and external applications to enhance nutrient uptake.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers are applied to promote plant growth, then plant biomass production increases, but mycorrhization and symbiotic responses are suppressed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the sensitivity parameters of plant proteins (NSP1, NSP2, CEP) to their constitutively active forms, changing their activation thresholds. This allows the proteins to remain active even when phosphate and nitrate levels are high, thereby maintaining mycorrhization responses under fertilizer conditions that would normally suppress them.
Solution Approach 2:
The genetically altered plants produce their own constitutively active NSP1, NSP2, or CEP proteins continuously without requiring external induction by low nutrient signals. This self-service mechanism ensures persistent mycorrhization capability regardless of soil nutrient conditions, eliminating the need for the plant to sense and respond to nutrient depletion to maintain symbiosis.
2Use of energy by moving object
If mycorrhization is suppressed under high nutrient conditions, then energetic costs for plants are reduced, but nutrient uptake efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the activation parameters of NSP1, NSP2, and CEP proteins to constitutively active states, the patent decouples mycorrhization initiation from nutrient sensing. This allows the symbiotic relationship to proceed under high nutrient conditions where it would normally be suppressed, optimizing nutrient uptake through fungal networks even when soil nutrients are abundant.
3Quantity of substance
If conventional fertilizer application methods are used to ensure adequate nutrient supply, then nutrient availability to plants is improved, but environmental harm and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces mycorrhizal fungi as intermediary organisms that facilitate nutrient transfer from soil to plant. The constitutively active NSP1, NSP2, or CEP proteins enhance plant-fungal signaling, improving the efficiency of this intermediary nutrient transfer system. This allows reduced fertilizer application while maintaining nutrient uptake through the fungal network, thereby reducing environmental harm and resource consumption associated with conventional fertilizer use.
Data Source
AI summary
Aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of cultivating genetically altered plants with increased activity of one or more of a NODULATION SIGNALING PATHWAY 1 (NSP1) protein or a NODULATION SIGNALING PATHWAY 2 (NSP2) protein that have increased mycorrhization and/or promoted symbiotic responses under high phosphate and/or high nitrate conditions. Further aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of cultivating genetically altered plants with increased activity of a C-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDE (CEP peptide) that have increased mycorrhization and/or promoted symbiotic responses under high phosphate and/or high nitrate conditions. In addition, aspects of the present disclosure relate to methods of cultivating these plants that include exogenous application of strigolactones, karrikins, and/or CEP peptides to increase mycorrhization and/or promote symbiotic responses under specific nutrient conditions.