Compositions comprising recombinant bacillus cells and another biological control agent
Inventors
CURTIS, Damian • Thompson, Brian
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-12256742-B2
Publication Date
2025-03-25
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present invention relates to a composition comprising a) recombinant exosporium-producing Bacillus cells that express a fusion protein comprising: (i) at least one plant growth stimulating protein or peptide and (ii) a targeting sequence that localizes the fusion protein to the exosporium of the Bacillus cells; and b) at least one further biological control agent selected from particular microorganisms disclosed herein and/or a mutant of a specific strain of a microorganism disclosed herein having all identifying characteristics of the respective strain, and/or at least one metabolite produced by the respective strain, and/or at least one metabolite produced by the respective strain that exhibits activity against insects, mites, nematodes and/or phytopathogens in a synergistically effective amount. Furthermore, the present invention relates to the use of this composition as well as a method for enhancing plant growth, promoting plant health, and/or reducing overall damage of plants and plant parts.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to treating a plant, a plant part, or the locus surrounding the plant to enhance plant growth and/or promote plant health. The method comprises simultaneously or sequentially applying recombinant cells of a Bacillus cereus family member and a Bacillus firmus strain.
The recombinant cells express a fusion protein that includes at least one plant growth stimulating protein or peptide together with an exosporium targeting component capable of targeting the fusion protein to the exosporium of the recombinant Bacillus cereus family member. The plant growth stimulating protein or peptide is selected from an endoglucanase and/or a phospholipase polypeptide having phospholipase activity, with sequence identity relationships to SEQ ID NO:107 and SEQ ID NO:108.
The fusion protein is associated with sporulation promoter control, including a sigma-K sporulation-specific polymerase promoter. A synergistic weight ratio between the recombinant Bacillus cereus family cells and the Bacillus firmus strain is in the range of 1:1000 to 1000:1, and the synergism refers to enhancing plant growth and/or promoting plant health.
Claims Coverage
The independent claim set centers on a method of treating a plant, a plant part, or the locus surrounding the plant by applying recombinant Bacillus cereus family cells expressing an exosporium-targeted fusion protein together with a Bacillus firmus strain in a synergistic weight ratio of 1:1000 to 1000:1. Six inventive features are identified across the independent and dependent claims, with additional narrowing of the plant growth stimulating protein, targeting sequence, Bacillus firmus strain, and expression control.
Plant treatment using synergistic Bacillus cereus recombinant fusion protein and Bacillus firmus
A method of treating a plant, a plant part, or the locus surrounding the plant to enhance plant growth and/or promote plant health by simultaneously or sequentially applying recombinant cells of a Bacillus cereus family member expressing a fusion protein comprising a plant growth stimulating protein or peptide and an exosporium-targeting component, together with a Bacillus firmus strain in a synergistic weight ratio of 1:1000 to 1000:1.
Endoglucanase with sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:107
The method includes using at least one plant growth stimulating protein or peptide that is an endoglucanase having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:107, or at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:107.
Phospholipase with sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:108
The method includes using at least one plant growth stimulating protein or peptide that is a phospholipase polypeptide having phospholipase activity and at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:108, or at least 95% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO:108.
Targeting sequence for exosporium targeting
The fusion protein comprises a targeting sequence, exosporium protein, or exosporium protein fragment capable of targeting the fusion protein to the exosporium of the recombinant Bacillus cereus family member, including amino acids 20-35 of SEQ ID NO:1.
Bacillus firmus strain 1-1582
The method is carried out using the Bacillus firmus strain 1-1582.
Sigma-K sporulation-specific polymerase promoter
The fusion protein expression is controlled by a sigma-K sporulation-specific polymerase promoter sequence.
The claim coverage centers on a synergistic plant treatment method combining exosporium-producing Bacillus cereus family recombinant cells with a Bacillus firmus strain at a specified synergistic weight ratio to enhance plant growth and/or promote plant health. The dependent claims further specify endoglucanase and phospholipase sequence identity thresholds, exosporium targeting sequence regions, Bacillus firmus strain 1-1582, and sigma-K sporulation-specific polymerase promoter control.
Stated Advantages
Enhance plant growth and/or promote plant health.
Enhances plant growth and/or promotes plant health through synergism between recombinant Bacillus cereus family cells and a Bacillus firmus strain.
Documented Applications
Treating a plant, a plant part, or the locus surrounding the plant to enhance plant growth and/or promote plant health.
Compositions for plant health improvement that combine recombinant exosporium-producing Bacillus cells with additional biological control agents, including microorganisms/strains and their metabolites, optionally alongside synthetic pesticides/fungicides.
Using synthetic nodulation factors/plant growth stimulators, including synthetic nodulation factor formula I, that can be added to the composition.
Synergistic application concepts involving biological control agents together with recombinant exosporium-producing Bacillus cereus family cells and a Bacillus firmus strain.
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