Applications
- Sustainable crop protection against rice blast disease
- Usage in genetic modification/genome editing to develop disease-resistant rice varieties
- Potential for use in other crops to protect against similar fungal diseases
Advantages/Benefits
- Wider range of protection than existing blast resistance genes against Magnaporthe oryzae strains
- Improves rice crop yield by reducing disease-related losses
- Increases resistance without requiring extensive changes to rice genetics
- Provides a sustainable solution for rice protection
Background
Rice blast, caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae, is a major agricultural threat that can result in up to 30% crop yield loss. Traditional methods of disease control rely on naturally occurring resistance genes, which are often limited to specific pathogen strains, or chemical fungicides This invention overcomes these limitations by using engineered immune receptors that enhance rice’s natural defense mechanisms against a broader range of Magnaporthe oryzae strains.
Technology Overview
Researchers at the Joint BioEnergy Institute at Berkeley Lab and UC Davis have developed a method to engineer immune receptors in rice plants, enhancing their resistance to the rice blast disease caused by the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. The immune receptors, known as Pik receptors, are 1142 amino acids long and are engineered through small genetic changes (point mutations) to recognize a broader range of fungal strains. By utilizing a technique called yeast surface display, the researchers were able to test and optimize these receptors for better pathogen detection and immune response. This method offers a significant improvement over existing natural or laboratory-generated receptors, which are typically effective against only a subset of Magnaporthe oryzae strains. The engineered receptors are expected to protect from 193 out of 201 genome-sequenced rice blast strains and are undergoing proof-of-concept testing in a rice cultivar. The engineered receptors can be introduced into rice crops through genetic modification or genome editing, providing a scalable and sustainable solution to combat rice blast disease and reduce crop loss, potentially boosting global rice production.
Development Stage
Proof of Concept
Principal Investigator(s)
- Pamela C. Ronald
- Ellen Youngsoo Rim
Status
Patent pending
Opportunities
Available for licensing or collaborative research