Phloem-Mobile RNA Vectors for Systemic Plant Therapeutic Delivery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies lack effective methods for delivering therapeutic agents to plants, particularly long-lived trees like citrus, due to the absence of a circulatory system, leading to challenges in treating systemic infections such as Huanglongbing (HLB), with existing viral vectors like CTV being inefficient and difficult to work with.
Innovation Solution
Development of independently mobile RNA (iRNA) vectors that lack movement proteins and coat proteins, capable of systemic phloem-limited movement, allowing for high accumulation and stable expression of therapeutic agents like peptides and small RNAs in plants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If viral vectors like CTV are used for delivering therapeutic agents to plants, then delivery capability is achieved, but the vectors are inefficient and difficult to work with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes the movement protein and coat protein coding sequences from the viral vector, retaining only the replicase and therapeutic agent coding sequences. This creates a simplified vector that lacks virulence factors, making it easier to manipulate and less problematic to work with while maintaining delivery capability through phloem-limited movement.
Solution Approach 2:
The viral vector is segmented into functional modules: a replicase element for replication, a therapeutic agent coding sequence for the desired function, and phloem-limited movement sequences. This modular design allows independent optimization of each component and simplifies the overall vector construction and manipulation.
2Reliability
If general therapeutic agents are applied to plants without a circulatory system, then treatment is achieved, but delivery throughout the host plant is complicated and diluted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the plant's existing phloem transport system as an intermediary to deliver therapeutic agents systemically. By exploiting the natural phloem's role in transporting sugars and signaling molecules, the therapeutic agents are delivered throughout the plant without requiring a separate artificial circulatory system, avoiding dilution issues through targeted phloem-limited movement.
3Reliability
If external application of pesticides is used to control plant diseases, then treatment is achieved, but systemic infection treatment is limited and expensive injections are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a self-replicating RNA virus vector that autonomously replicates within the plant phloem and delivers therapeutic agents systemically. This eliminates the need for expensive injection systems or complex application methods, as the vector self-propagates through the phloem using the plant's natural transport mechanisms, providing simple and effective systemic treatment.
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
iRNA vectors enable efficient delivery and expression of therapeutic agents in plants, providing targeted treatments for diseases like HLB without genome modification and with minimal environmental spread, offering a stable and effective solution for long-lived plants.
Implementation Method 1
movement thereof is substantially limited to the phloem and targeted to control or manage a plant disease or condition
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a single stranded RNA vector suitable for introducing a therapeutic agent, such as a peptide, a protein or a small RNA, into a host plant. The vector does not encode for any movement protein or coat protein, but is capable of capable of systemic and phloem-limited movement and replication within the host plant.