Phenyl Triazinane Herbicides for PPO-Tolerant Transgenic Crops

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing herbicides that inhibit protoporphyrinogen oxidase (PPO) cause damage to crop plants, necessitating the development of transgenic plants tolerant to these herbicides to minimize crop loss.

Innovation Solution

The use of substituted phenyl triazinanes with a cyclopropylcarboxylic acid-based side chain in transgenic crop plants expressing herbicide-insensitive PPO proteins, such as HemG, to confer tolerance to PPO inhibitor herbicides, allowing for effective weed control without damaging the crops.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If PPO inhibitor herbicides are applied to control weeds, then weed control effectiveness is improved, but crop plant damage increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveweed control effectivenessVSAvoidcrop plant damage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent modifies the biochemical parameters of the crop plant by introducing a mutated PPO enzyme with altered substrate binding properties. The mutation changes the enzyme's kinetic parameters (Km and Vmax) to reduce herbicide binding affinity while maintaining catalytic activity, allowing the plant to tolerate PPO inhibitor herbicides that would otherwise damage it

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses a chloroplast transit peptide as an intermediary to target the mutated PPO enzyme specifically to the chloroplast compartment where the herbicide acts. This spatial intermediary ensures the protective enzyme is positioned exactly where needed to counteract the herbicide's effect on wild-type PPO

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If transgenic plants expressing herbicide-insensitive PPO are developed, then crop tolerance to PPO inhibitors is improved, but the complexity of plant modification increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrop tolerance to PPO inhibitorsVSAvoidcomplexity of plant modification

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the PPO enzyme into two functional components: the catalytic domain (maintained for herbicide insensitivity) and the regulatory domain (maintained for normal plant metabolism). This segmentation allows the enzyme to simultaneously exhibit herbicide tolerance and physiological functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The mutated PPO enzyme serves multiple functions: it acts as the primary catalytic enzyme for protoporphyrinogen oxidation, serves as a herbicide sink to absorb excess herbicide, and maintains normal chlorophyll synthesis pathways. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional protective mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS20250270581A1Methods and compositions for PPO herbicide tolerance

Publication Date: 2025.08.28 MONSANTO TECHNOLOGY LLC

AI summary

The present disclosure relates to the use of certain substituted phenyl triazinanes comprising a cyclopropylcarboxylic acid-based side chain, or agrochemically acceptable salts thereof, for controlling or preventing weed growth in plant growth areas of transgenic crop plants that are tolerant to PPO inhibiting herbicides. The disclosure also provides herbicide tolerant transgenic plants, seeds, cells, and plant parts containing the recombinant DNA molecules, as well as methods of using the same.