Root-Specific Plant Promoters for Pollen-Free Insecticidal Expression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current transgenic crops express insecticidal proteins constitutively, leading to potential adverse effects on non-pest insects and male fertility due to pollen expression, necessitating the development of promoters that selectively modulate gene expression in vegetative tissues while excluding reproductive structures like pollen.
Innovation Solution
Development of novel promoter polynucleotides that selectively direct the expression of insecticidal proteins in plant tissues such as leaves and stems, but not in male reproductive tissues like pollen, using specific promoter sequences and chimeric constructs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If constitutive promoters are used to drive expression of insecticidal proteins throughout the plant, then high levels of expression are achieved in vegetative tissues providing effective pest protection, but adverse effects occur on non-pest insects and male fertility due to pollen expression
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by using tissue-specific promoters to create spatial heterogeneity in gene expression. The promoter is designed to be active in specific plant tissues (vegetative tissues like leaves and stems) while being inactive or minimally active in other tissues (reproductive structures like pollen). This allows the insecticidal protein to be expressed at high levels only where needed for pest control, while avoiding expression in tissues that could harm non-pest insects or affect male fertility.
2Reliability
If insecticidal proteins are expressed in pollen to ensure complete pest protection, then all pest insects are controlled, but male fertility is compromised and beneficial insects are affected
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the plant into different functional zones with different expression requirements. The promoter is engineered to segment gene expression across plant tissues, being active in vegetative tissues where pest feeding occurs but inactive in reproductive tissues. This spatial segmentation allows reliable pest protection in vegetative tissues while avoiding the harmful effects of pollen expression.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is directed to promoters that have particular utility in driving root-specific expression of heterologous genes that impart increased agronomic, horticultural and/or pesticidal characteristics to a given transgenic plant. The present invention is also drawn to DNA molecules comprising the promoters of the invention and transformed plant tissues containing DNA molecules comprising a promoter of the invention operably linked to a heterologous gene or genes, and seeds thereof.