Patents Examined by Russell Boggs
  • Patent number: 8772024
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for modulating plant development and for increasing yield in a plant are provided. The compositions include a ZM-ZFP1 sequence. Compositions of the disclosure comprise amino acid sequences and nucleotide sequences selected from SEQ ID NOS: 1 and 2 as well as variants and fragments thereof. Nucleotide sequences encoding the ZM-ZFP1 molecule are provided in DNA constructs for expression in a plant of interest are provided for modulating the level of a ZM-ZFP1 sequence in a plant or a plant part are provided. The methods comprise introducing into a plant or plant part a heterologous polynucleotide comprising a ZM-ZFP1 sequence of the disclosure. The level of the ZM-ZFP1 polypeptide can be increased or decreased. Such method can be used to increase the yield in plants; in one embodiment, the method is used to increase grain yield in cereals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Pioneer Hi Bred International Inc
    Inventor: Guofu Li
  • Patent number: 8754292
    Abstract: Nucleotide sequences mediating male fertility in plants are described, with DNA molecule and amino acid sequences set forth. Promoter sequences and their essential regions are also identified. The nucleotide sequences are useful in mediating male fertility in plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Pioneer Hi Bred International Inc
    Inventors: Marc Albertsen, Tim Fox, Gary Huffman, Mary Trimnell
  • Patent number: 8742206
    Abstract: Spinach having significantly more leaves per plant as compared to known spinach and, inter alia, cells of these plants, seeds and other propagation material as well as harvestable parts of these plants, and methods for obtaining, and using and uses of these plants and parts thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: Rijk Zwaan Zaadteelt en Zaadhandel B.V.
    Inventors: Jan Hugo Den Braber, Beatrice Ingrid Lindhout
  • Patent number: 8735560
    Abstract: Novel synthetic Bacillus thuringiensis crystal proteins exhibiting insect inhibitory activity is disclosed. Polynucleotides encoding the crystal protein, transgenic plants and microorganisms that contain the polynucleotides, isolated peptides derived from the crystal protein, and antibodies directed against the crystal protein are also provided. Methods of using the crystal protein and polynucleotides encoding the crystal protein to control Lepidopteran insects are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2014
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Leigh H. English, Deborah G. Rucker, Victor M. Guzov
  • Patent number: 8729340
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a Solanum lycopersicum histidine decarboxylase-2 (SlHD-2) gene-derived fruit-specific expression promoter, to a 5? untranslated region (5?-UTR), to a (5?UTR), —specific expression vector comprising same, to a method for the fruit-specific expression of an exotic gene using the expression vector, to a plant transformed with the expression vector, and to a seed thereof. According to the present invention, a gene introduced from a transformed plant can be specifically expressed fruit tissue as compared to the widely used conventional Cauliflower mosaic virus-derived CaMV 35S promoter which induces the expression of an exotic gene in the whole tissue. Further, the present invention can be valuably used in the development of a transformed plant, which seeks to produce valuable substances from fruit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Industry Foundation of Chonnam National University
    Inventors: Young Hee Joung, Ah Young Kim, Sang Hyeob Lee
  • Patent number: 8710297
    Abstract: A glycosyltransferase promoter and a recombinant nucleic acid, plant cell and transgenic plant containing thereof are provided. The promoter includes a nucleotide sequence as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1˜7, a fragment having at least 10 contiguous bases of any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1˜7 or a combination thereof, or a nucleotide sequence having 90% or more identity to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in any one of SEQ ID NOs: 1˜7.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
    Inventors: Shu-Jiau Chiou, Cheng-Yu Lee, Pei-Hsuan Wei, Jui-Hung Yen, Cheng-Li Fang
  • Patent number: 8704043
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for increasing various plant yield-related traits by increasing expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding an ammonium transporter (AMT) polypeptide. The present invention also concerns plants having increased expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding an AMT polypeptide, which plants have increased yield-related traits relative to control plants. The invention also provides constructs useful in the methods of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: CropDesign N.V.
    Inventors: Valerie Frankard, Andy Allen, Chris Bowler
  • Patent number: 8697642
    Abstract: DIG-10 Cry toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, use of such toxins to control pests, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: Dow AgroSciences, LLC.
    Inventors: Justin M. Lira, Kenneth Narva, Aaron T. Woosley, Ignacio M. Larrinua, Timothy D. Hey
  • Patent number: 8686221
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of molecular biology and concerns a method for improving plant growth characteristics relative to wild type plants. More specifically, the present invention concerns a method for increasing yield in plants grown under reduced nutrient availability, relative to corresponding wild type plants, comprising modulating expression in a plant of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a class I homeodomain leucine zipper (HDZip) hox5 polypeptide or a homologue thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2014
    Assignee: CropDesign N.V.
    Inventor: Ana Isabel Sanz Molinero
  • Patent number: 8669108
    Abstract: The invention provides the isolated promoter polynucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and fragments and variants thereof. The invention also provides constructs, plant cells and plants genetically modified to contain the promoter polynucleotide. The invention also provides methods for producing plants with altered gene expression and traits via genetic transformation of plants with the promoter polynucleotides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Vialactia Biosciences (NZ) Limited
    Inventors: Sathish Puthigae, Jonathan Robert Phillips, Nimali Piyushika Withana, Claudia Jeannette Smith-Espinoza, Catherine Jane Bryant, Kerry Robert Templeton, Shivendra Bajaj
  • Patent number: 8648184
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a zearalenone-inducible promoter originated from Gibberella zeae, recombinant vectors comprising the promoters, methods of producing proteins and detecting plants contaminated with zearalenone. The promoter of the present invention can be used for studying essential genes in fungus, characterizing the mechanism of self/nonself recognition in G. zeae, engineering of plant systems to generate plants that can recognize a G. zeae attack and detecting ZEA contamination as a biosensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: SNU R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Yin Won Lee, Jung Kwan Lee, Ae Ran Park, Seung Hoon Lee, Ho Kyung Son
  • Patent number: 8648229
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to transcriptional control sequences for effecting expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant. More particularly, the present invention relates to transcriptional control sequences that direct specific or preferential expression of an operably connected nucleotide sequence of interest in a plant seed or one or more particular cell or tissue types therein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Australian Centre for Plant Functional Genomics PTY Ltd
    Inventors: Sergiy Lopato, Nataliya Kovalchuk, Ainur Ismagul, Jessica Anne Smith
  • Patent number: 8648230
    Abstract: Regulatory regions are shown which regulate expression of an operably linked heterologous nucleic acid molecule in plants. Promoters are described which express at lower levels in pollen cells that in other plant cells. Methods of using such promoter to regulate expression of an operably linked nucleic acid molecule are described. A polyadenylation nucleotide sequence from soybean is further shown.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: MS Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Bruce Held, Vaithilingam Sekar, Janell C. Eby, Carol J. Lewnau, Penny Perkins
  • Patent number: 8642749
    Abstract: A Zea mays regulatory region is shown, which provides improved seed preferred, and particularly embryo preferred expression in plants. Methods of use are also shown in preferentially expressing a heterologous protein to the embryo tissue of a plant. The sequence is particularly useful in expression of heterologous proteins to the embryo of monocotyledonous plants, particularly cereals, and maize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 4, 2014
    Assignee: Applied Biotechnology Institute
    Inventors: Stephen J Streatfield, Robert Love, Jeff Bray
  • Patent number: 8558059
    Abstract: The invention relates to plant transcription factor polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs and orthologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having advantageous properties compared to a reference or wild-type plant. These properties include increased tolerance to environmental stresses, including salt stress, drought, osmotic stress, water deficit, cold and heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventor: Jacqueline E. Heard
  • Patent number: 8552256
    Abstract: The present inventors identified a novel rice glutelin gene, GluD-1, which is expressed specifically in seeds. The promoter of the GluD-1 gene was confirmed to induce seed-specific gene expression, and to induce expression of downstream genes specifically in the endosperm during the early stage of seed maturation process. More specifically, the GluD-1 promoter can induce strong expression of an exogenous gene in sites including the endosperm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences
    Inventors: Fumio Takaiwa, Taiji Kawakatsu
  • Patent number: 8476226
    Abstract: DIG-10 Cry toxins, polynucleotides encoding such toxins, use of such toxins to control pests, and transgenic plants that produce such toxins are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2013
    Assignee: Dow AgroSciences
    Inventors: Justin M. Lira, Kenneth Narva, Aaron T. Woosley, Ignacio M. Larrinua, Timothy D. Hey
  • Patent number: 8471100
    Abstract: The subject application provides polynucleotides, compositions thereof and methods for regulating gene expression in a plant using a promoter that initiates transcription in an inducible manner. In a further aspect of the invention, methods for modulating expression of a gene product in a stably transformed plant comprising the steps of (a) transforming a plant cell with a DNA construct comprising the disclosed promoter or fragments thereof that are capable of driving the expression of an operably linked nucleic acid sequence operably linked to at least one nucleotide sequence; (b) growing the plant cell under plant growing conditions and (c) regenerating a stably transformed plant from the plant cell wherein the induced expression of the operably linked nucleotide sequence alters the phenotype of the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: University of Tennessee Research Foundation
    Inventors: (Max) Zong-Ming Cheng, Xia Ye