Recombinant Insecticidal Proteins for Broad-Spectrum Pest Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current genetically engineered crops resistant to insect pests have limited efficacy against a narrow range of pests and can develop resistance, necessitating the development of new pesticidal proteins with broader insecticidal activity.

Innovation Solution

Development of recombinant insecticidal polypeptides, such as IPD090, with specific amino acid substitutions and variants, which are used to create compositions and transgenic plants to control a wide range of insect pests including Lepidoptera and Coleoptera species, and their production through nucleic acid sequences and transformed prokaryotic cells.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If genetically engineered crops produce pesticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis, then insect resistance is enhanced, but the range of insecticidal activity remains narrow

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsect resistanceVSAvoidrange of insecticidal activity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple pesticidal protein genes (IPD090, IPD079, IPD082) into single transgenic plant constructs, creating crops that produce multiple different pesticidal proteins simultaneously. This merging approach broadens the spectrum of insect pest control while maintaining high reliability against resistant populations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The pesticidal proteins described in the patent exhibit multi-functional insecticidal activity against diverse insect orders including Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, and Hemiptera. The proteins can function both as standalone toxic agents and as synergistic combinations, providing universal protection across multiple pest types

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If insects develop resistance to different insecticidal compounds, then alternative biological control agents are needed, but existing biopesticides have limited spectrum

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvealternative biological control agentsVSAvoideffectiveness against resistant pests
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs amino acid substitutions and mutations in pesticidal protein sequences to create variants with altered insecticidal properties. These parameter changes in protein structure allow the proteins to maintain effectiveness against insect populations that have developed resistance to wild-type proteins

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates composite pesticidal formulations containing multiple different pesticidal proteins (e.g., IPD090 combined with IPD079 or IPD082) that work synergistically. This composite approach ensures reliable control of resistant pest populations by combining proteins with different modes of action and target specificities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP3960863B1Insecticidal proteins and methods for their use
Publication Date: 2024.11.13 PIONEER HI BREED INTERNATIONAL INC
  • EP3960863B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3960863B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3960863B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3

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 including plants, as probes for the isolation of other homologous (or partially homologous) genes. The pesticidal 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.