PIP-1 Polypeptides for Broad-Spectrum Insect Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current genetically engineered crops resistant to insect pests have limited efficacy against a narrow range of insects and face issues with resistance development, necessitating the need for new pesticidal proteins with broader insecticidal activity, especially against Lepidoptera and Hemiptera species.
Innovation Solution
Development of recombinant nucleic acid molecules encoding Pseudomonas Insecticidal Protein-1 (PIP-1) polypeptides with specific amino acid substitutions, deletions, and insertions, which can be expressed in plants and microorganisms to confer pesticidal activity, including against resistant insect pests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If genetically engineered crops produce pesticidal proteins from Bacillus, then insect resistance is enhanced, but the range of insecticidal activity remains narrow
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces PIP-1 polypeptides from Pseudomonas chlororaphis that provide universal insecticidal activity across multiple insect orders including Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, and Hemiptera. This multi-functional approach allows a single pesticidal protein to target diverse pest species, thereby expanding the adaptability of genetically engineered crops while maintaining reliable insect resistance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs amino acid substitutions, deletions, and insertions in the PIP-1 polypeptide sequence to optimize insecticidal activity. By modifying specific parameters of the protein structure (amino acid composition), the patent enhances both the reliability and versatility of the pesticidal activity against different insect pests, including those resistant to existing Bt proteins.
2Productivity
If existing pesticidal proteins are used, then commercial success is achieved, but resistance development in insects occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces PIP-1 polypeptides that act as a preliminary countermeasure against insect resistance. These polypeptides target different receptors and mechanisms compared to existing Bt proteins, thereby preemptively addressing the resistance problem before it compromises crop productivity. The preliminary anti-action is achieved by deploying a pesticidal protein with a distinct mode of action that remains effective against resistant pest populations.
3Reliability
If new pesticidal proteins with broader activity are developed, then effectiveness against resistant pests improves, but complexity of protein engineering increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the approach to protein engineering by focusing on specific functional domains and conserved regions of the PIP-1 polypeptide. Rather than attempting to redesign the entire protein structure, the invention identifies and modifies key segments (amino acid positions 64-79, 149-159, and 171-183) that are critical for insecticidal activity. This segmented approach reduces engineering complexity while maintaining effectiveness against resistant pests.
Data Source
AI summary
Compositions and methods for controlling pests are provided. The methods involve transforming organisms with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an insecticidal protein. In particular, the nucleic acid sequences are useful for preparing plants and microorganisms that possess insecticidal activity. Thus, transformed bacteria, plants, plant cells, plant tissues and seeds are provided. Compositions are insecticidal nucleic acids and proteins of bacterial species. The sequences find use in the construction of expression vectors for subsequent transformation into organisms of interest, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The insecticidal proteins find use in controlling, inhibiting growth or killing lepidopteran, coleopteran, dipteran, fungal, hemipteran, and nematode pest populations and for producing compositions with insecticidal activity.