TIC3668 Insecticidal Proteins for Pest Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current insecticidal toxin proteins used in agriculture face challenges such as resistance development in target pests, limited spectrum of efficacy, and undesirable agronomic effects when expressed in plants, necessitating the development of new proteins with improved insecticidal properties and broader activity against Coleopteran and Lepidopteran pests.
Innovation Solution
The development of TIC3668-type insecticidal proteins, which are recombinant polynucleotide molecules encoding toxin proteins that exhibit inhibitory activity against significant target pests, including Western Corn Rootworm, and can be used alone or in combination with other insecticidal proteins, providing alternative modes of action and enhanced efficacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current insecticidal toxin proteins are used, then insecticidal activity is achieved, but resistance development in target pests occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies amino acid sequences of existing toxin proteins to create variants with altered properties. Specifically, the invention changes parameters such as sequence identity (at least 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 98% identity to parent protein) and structural characteristics to maintain insecticidal activity while reducing resistance development. The modified proteins retain functional domains while introducing variations that prevent pest adaptation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates composite protein structures by combining functional domains from different toxin proteins or creating chimeric proteins with modified sequences. These composite structures integrate beneficial properties from multiple sources, including insecticidal activity from Cry proteins and Vip proteins, while the composite nature reduces resistance development through multiple modes of action.
2Reliability
If current insecticidal toxin proteins are used, then activity against specific pests is achieved, but spectrum of efficacy is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent engineering toxin proteins to perform multiple functions and target multiple pest species. The modified proteins maintain activity against original target pests while gaining efficacy against additional species. This is achieved by preserving key functional domains while modifying other regions to broaden substrate recognition and binding capabilities across different Lepidopteran and Coleopteran pests.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent alters protein parameters including amino acid sequence composition, molecular weight, and structural conformation to expand the spectrum of affected pests. By systematically varying sequence identity thresholds (80-98%) and modifying specific residues in functional domains, the proteins achieve broader pest coverage while maintaining core insecticidal mechanisms.
3Reliability
If current insecticidal toxin proteins are expressed in plants, then crop protection is achieved, but undesirable agronomic effects occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes problematic regions or domains from parent toxin proteins that cause undesirable agronomic effects. By isolating and eliminating specific amino acid sequences responsible for negative effects (such as plant toxicity or non-target organism harm) while retaining the essential insecticidal functional domains, the modified proteins achieve crop protection without harmful side effects.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies expression parameters including protein stability, solubility, and tissue-specific expression patterns by altering amino acid sequences. These parameter changes reduce aggregation, improve safety profiles, and minimize agronomic issues while maintaining protective efficacy against target pests.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
Insecticidal proteins exhibiting toxic activity against Coleopteran and Lepidopteran pest species are disclosed, and include, but are not limited to, TIC3668, TIC3669, TIC3670, TIC4076, TIC4078, TIC4260, TIC4346, TIC4826, TIC4861, TIC4862, TIC4863, and TIC-3668-type proteins. DNA molecules and constructs are provided which contain a polynucleotide sequence encoding one or more of the disclosed TIC3668-type proteins. Transgenic plants, plant cells, seed, and plant parts resistant to Lepidopteran and Coleopteran infestation are provided which contain polynucleotide sequences encoding the insecticidal proteins of the present invention. Methods for detecting the presence of the polynucleotides or the proteins of the present invention in a biological sample, and methods of controlling Coleopteran and Lepidopteran species pests using any of the TIC3668-type insecticidal proteins are also provided.