Pesticidal and herbicidal activity through modulation of animal and plant cell membrane transport
AssigneeBoard of Regents
InventorsJ. Brian Windsor, Stan J. Roux, Alan M. Lloyd
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to the modulation of pesticidal and herbicidal activity by treatment of a membrane transport system in a cell. This entails modifying the extra-cellular phosphatases found in the membranes of these cells. By modifying the ATP gradient across the biological membrane of a target plant, bacteria, insect or mammalian cell via inhibiting one or more extra-cellular phosphatases, it is possible to alter the sensitivity to a pesticide or herbicide.
Claims41
A method for altering the ATP gradient across the biological membrane of a target plant, bacteria, insect or mammalian cell to produce pesticidal activity in said cell comprising inhibiting an ecto-phosphatase in the target cell.
A method for altering the ATP gradient across the biological membrane of a target plant, bacteria, insect or mammalian cell to produce pesticidal activity in said cell comprising inhibiting an ecto-phosphatase in the target cell, wherein the ecto-phosphatase further comprises an ABC transporter.
A method for altering the ATP gradient across the biological membrane of a target plant, bacteria, insect or mammalian cell to produce pesticidal activity in said cell comprising inhibiting an ecto-phosphatase in the target cell, wherein the ectophosphatase is inhibited with an ecto-phosphatase inhibitor.
A method for increasing the sensitivity of a target plant, bacterial, insect, or mammalian cell to a pesticide comprising contacting the target cell with an ecto-phosphatase inhibitor.
A method of identifying chemicals with pesticidal activity comprising:
- a) contacting an ecto-phosphatase in a cell with a small molecule in the presence of ATP under conditions wherein the ecto-phosphatase has ATPase activity;
- b) incubating the ecto-phosphatase, small molecule and ATP for a period of time to liberate phosphate from the ATP;
- and
- c) adding ammonium molybdate and ascorbic acid to the ecto-phosphatase, small molecule and ATP to form a complex with liberated phosphate and to generate a dark blue color, wherein inhibition of the ecto-phosphatase by the small molecule results in less phosphate liberated and less blue color.
A method for altering the ATP gradient across the biological membrane of a target plant cell to produce herbicidal activity in said cell comprising inhibiting an ecto- phosphatase in the target cell.
A method of identifying chemicals with herbicidal activity comprising:
- a) contacting an ecto-phosphatase in a plant cell with a small molecule in the presence of ATP under conditions wherein the ecto-phosphatase has ATPase activity;
- b) incubating the ecto-phosphatase, small molecule and ATP for a period of time to liberate phosphate from the ATP;
- and
- c) adding ammonium molybdate and ascorbic acid to the ecto-phosphatase, small molecule and ATP to form a complex with liberated phosphate and to generate a dark blue color, wherein inhibition of the ecto-phosphatase by the small molecule results in less phosphate liberated and less blue color.
An herbicide comprising a compound that inhibits activity of an ecto-phosphatase in a target cell of a plant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.