Methods for manufacturing plant messenger packs
Inventors
VAN ROOIJEN, Maria Helena Christine • TAM, Hok Hei • Martin, Barry Andrew • CABANILLAS, DANIEL GARCIA • SCHWIZER, SIMON • NUKOLOVA, NATALIYA VLADIMIROVNA • Niu, Yajie
Assignees
Flagship Pioneering Inc • Flagship Pioneering Innovations VI Inc
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Publication Number
US-12163142-B2
Publication Date
2024-12-10
Expiration Date
Abstract
Disclosed herein are methods, and related bioreactors, for manufacturing plant messenger packs (PMPs), which can be formulated for use in a variety of agricultural and therapeutic methods.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to methods for increasing the fitness of a plant and methods for decreasing the fitness of a plant pest by delivering an effective amount of a PMP composition to the plant or plant pest. The PMP composition comprises a plurality of PMPs, where each PMP comprises a purified plant extracellular vesicle (EV) or a segment, portion, or extract thereof, and the PMPs comprise a heterologous agricultural agent.
The PMPs are produced by obtaining a culture medium in which a plant, a plant part, or a plant cell has been cultured, purifying PMPs from the culture medium, and loading the PMPs with the heterologous agricultural agent. In this way, the PMPs function as carriers that deliver a heterologous agricultural agent while the PMP is based on purified plant EVs or related segments, portions, or extracts.
The document further describes PMP formulations, plant EV markers used to distinguish from non-plant EVs, and modified PMPs defined with cell wall-penetrating agents. It also describes heterologous nucleic acid or polypeptide stimulants that modulate EV biogenesis/secretion, and examples of heterologous agricultural agents that can be loaded into PMPs, including pesticidal, fertilizing, and herbicidal agents.
Claims Coverage
The independent claims cover two methods, one for increasing plant fitness and one for decreasing plant pest fitness, each using PMP compositions containing PMPs loaded with a heterologous agricultural agent. Across the independent claims, there are 2 main inventive features centered on purified plant extracellular vesicle (EV)-based PMPs and relative fitness change.
PMP composition delivery to increase plant fitness
Delivering to the plant an effective amount of a PMP composition comprising a plurality of PMPs comprising a heterologous agricultural agent, wherein each PMP comprises a purified plant extracellular vesicle (EV) or a segment, portion, or extract thereof, and wherein the PMP composition increases the fitness of the plant relative to an untreated plant.
PMP composition delivery to decrease plant pest fitness
Delivering to the plant pest an effective amount of a PMP composition comprising a plurality of PMPs comprising a heterologous agricultural agent, wherein each PMP comprises a purified plant extracellular vesicle (EV) or a segment, portion, or extract thereof, and wherein the PMP composition decreases the fitness of the plant pest relative to an untreated plant pest.
The claim coverage centers on PMP compositions comprising PMPs based on purified plant extracellular vesicles (or segments, portions, or extracts) loaded with a heterologous agricultural agent and delivered in an effective amount to shift fitness relative to untreated controls. The dependent claims further specify pesticidal, fertilizing, and herbicidal agents, with pesticidal agents further narrowed into enumerated categories such as antifungal, antibacterial, insecticidal, molluscicidal, and nematicidal agents, and herbicidal agents listed by name.
Stated Advantages
Increases the fitness of the plant relative to an untreated plant.
Decreases the fitness of the plant pest relative to an untreated plant pest.
Documented Applications
Increasing the fitness of a plant by delivering an effective amount of a PMP composition comprising a plurality of PMPs loaded with a heterologous agricultural agent.
Decreasing the fitness of a plant pest by delivering an effective amount of a PMP composition comprising a plurality of PMPs loaded with a heterologous agricultural agent.
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