Patents by Inventor Frank J. Turano
Frank J. Turano has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
-
Publication number: 20150184184Abstract: The present invention relates to methods that may be used to improve or modify nutrient sensing, absorption, metabolism, root growth, stomatal conductance, N use efficiency, C and N metabolism, plant biomass production and seed yield. More specifically, this invention is related to the glutamate receptors (GLRs) and their role(s) in nutrient sensing, metabolism, regulation of growth, development, and yield.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 14, 2014Publication date: July 2, 2015Inventors: Sivasubramanian Balasubramanian, Frank J. Turano
-
Patent number: 8889950Abstract: The present invention relates to methods that may be used to improve or modify nutrient sensing, absorption, metabolism, root growth, stomatal conductance, N use efficiency, C and N metabolism, plant biomass production and seed yield. More specifically, this invention is related to the glutamate receptors (GLRs) and their role(s) in nutrient sensing, metabolism, regulation of growth, development, and yield.Type: GrantFiled: July 28, 2007Date of Patent: November 18, 2014Assignee: The George Washington UniversityInventors: Sivasubramanian Balasubramanian, Frank J. Turano
-
Publication number: 20140237689Abstract: The present invention provides metabolic regulators, which are proteins (such as fusion proteins, truncated proteins or full-length proteins) that bind to specific metabolites and which can be used to control the availability of the metabolites in cells, particularly plant cells. Proteins of the invention include one or more metabolic regulator proteins, can be truncated or full length, can further comprise a transmembrane domain or lipoylation site or can further comprise a transit peptide. Metabolic regulators of the invention can be soluble, e.g., cytosolic soluble, can be anchored to a biological membrane or can be organelle targeted or apoplastic targeted. The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding the metabolic regulators, methods of making the nucleic acid molecules, methods for making transformed organisms, including plants, photosynthetic organisms, microbes, invertebrates, and vertebrates, and methods for controlling availability of metabolites to a host cell.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2014Publication date: August 21, 2014Applicant: PLANT SENSORY SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Patent number: 8742204Abstract: The present invention provides metabolic regulators, which are proteins (such as fusion proteins, truncated proteins or full-length proteins) that bind to specific metabolites and which can be used to control the availability of the metabolites in cells, particularly plant cells. Proteins of the invention include one or more metabolic regulator proteins, can be truncated or full length, can further comprise a transmembrane domain or lipoylation site or can further comprise a transit peptide. Metabolic regulators of the invention can be soluble, e.g., cytosolic soluble, can be anchored to a biological membrane or can be organelle targeted or apoplastic targeted. The present invention also provides nucleic acid molecules encoding the metabolic regulators, methods of making the nucleic acid molecules, methods for making transformed organisms, including plants, photosynthetic organisms, microbes, invertebrates, and vertebrates, and methods for controlling availability of metabolites to a host cell.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: Plant Sensory Systems, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Publication number: 20140082761Abstract: The present invention describes an approach to increase plant growth and production. The invention describes methods for the use of functional sulfinoalanine decarboxylase (SAD) or the promiscuous enzyme activity of SAD in plants or algal cells. Transgenic plants will have increased plant growth, biomass, yield, and/or tolerance to biotic and/or abiotic stresses and could be used as a pharmaceutical, nutraceutical or as a supplement in animal feed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2012Publication date: March 20, 2014Applicant: PLANT SENSORY SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Publication number: 20140068812Abstract: The present invention discloses regulatory sequences, promoters and terminators, and their use in plants. The regulatory sequences can be used to make gene constructs that include a gene not natively associated with the regulatory sequences. Methods to use the regulatory sequences with antisense constructs or functional RNAs are disclosed. Methods to use the regulatory sequences, promoter or terminator, independently of each other are also disclosed. Methods to use the regulatory sequences to improve plant growth and production such as increased biomass, increased yield and increased tolerance to abiotic or biotic stresses are also disclosed.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 23, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: PLANT SENSORY SYSTEMS, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Patent number: 8581041Abstract: The present invention describes an alternative approach to increase GABA production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes, namely by the insertion of the putrescine catabolic pathway in organisms where the pathway does not exist or has not clearly been identified. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides that encode functional putrescine aminotransferase (PAT) and gamma-aminobutyricaldehyde dehydrogenase (GABAlde DeHase) polypeptides in plants to increase GABA production. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Changes in GABA availability will improve growth and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.Type: GrantFiled: October 17, 2011Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Plant Sensory Systems, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Patent number: 8581040Abstract: The present invention describes an alternative approach to increase GABA production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes, namely by the insertion of the putrescine catabolic pathway in organisms where the pathway does not exist or has not clearly been identified. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides that encode functional putrescine aminotransferase (PAT) and gamma-aminobutyricaldehyde dehydrogenase (GABAlde DeHase) polypeptides in plants to increase GABA production. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Changes in GABA availability will improve growth and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: November 12, 2013Assignee: Plant Sensory Systems, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Publication number: 20120222148Abstract: The present invention describes an approach to increase taurine or hypotaurine production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes. More particularly, the invention relates to genetic transformation of organisms with genes that encode proteins that catalyze the conversion of cysteine to taurine, methionine to taurine, cysteamine to taurine, or alanine to taurine. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides that encode functional cysteine dioxygenase (CDO), cysteine dioxygenase (CDO) and sulfinoalanine decarboxylase (SAD) or glutamate decarboxylase (GAD), cysteamine dioxygenase (ADO), taurine-pyruvate aminotransferase (TPAT), TPAT and sulfoacetaldehyde acetyltransferase (SA), taurine dioxygenase (TDO) or the small (ssTDeHase) and large subunits of taurine dehydrogenase (lsTDeHase) polypeptides in plants to increase taurine, hypotaurine or taurine precursor production. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2010Publication date: August 30, 2012Applicant: PLANT SENSORY SYSTEMS LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano, Peter S. Carlson, Alan M. Kinnersley
-
Patent number: 8106261Abstract: The present invention describes an alternative approach to increase GABA production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes, namely by the insertion of the putrescine catabolic pathway in organisms where the pathway does not exist or has not clearly been identified. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides that encode functional putrescine aminotransferase (PAT) and gamma-aminobutyricaldehyde dehydrogenase (GABAlde DeHase) polypeptides in plants to increase GABA production. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Changes in GABA availability will improve growth and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 2008Date of Patent: January 31, 2012Assignee: Plant Sensory Systems, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Publication number: 20090265805Abstract: The present invention relates to methods that may be used to improve or modify nutrient sensing, absorption, metabolism, root growth, stomatal conductance, N use efficiency, C and N metabolism, plant biomass production and seed yield. More specifically, this invention is related to the glutamate receptors (GLRs) and their role(s) in nutrient sensing, metabolism, regulation of growth, development, and yield.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 28, 2007Publication date: October 22, 2009Inventors: SIVASUBRAMANIAN BALASUBRAMANIAN, FRANK J. TURANO
-
Publication number: 20090210967Abstract: This invention relates to compounds for improving plant growth and characteristics, improved modified plants, processes for obtaining the same, and improved methods of obtaining plant products, and specifically those concerning AtGLR1.1.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2008Publication date: August 20, 2009Inventors: Frank J. Turano, Jiman Kang, John Quackenbush, Jason Shockey, Chen Zeng
-
Publication number: 20090077693Abstract: The present invention describes an alternative approach to increase GABA production in prokaryotes or eukaryotes, namely by the insertion of the putrescine catabolic pathway in organisms where the pathway does not exist or has not clearly been identified. The invention describes methods for the use of polynucleotides that encode functional putrescine aminotransferase (PAT) and gamma-aminobutyricaldehyde dehydrogenase (GABAlde DeHase) polypeptides in plants to increase GABA production. The preferred embodiment of the invention is in plants but other organisms may be used. Changes in GABA availability will improve growth and increase tolerance to biotic and abiotic stress.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 29, 2008Publication date: March 19, 2009Applicant: Plant Sensory Systems, LLCInventors: Frank J. Turano, Kathleen A. Turano
-
Publication number: 20090025102Abstract: The invention provides isolated glutamate receptor associated nucleic acids and their encoded proteins for modulating nitrogen utilization efficiency in plants. The invention includes methods and compositions relating to altering nitrogen utilization and/or uptake in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, and transgenic plants.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 21, 2008Publication date: January 22, 2009Applicants: PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL, INC., THE GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITYInventors: HOWARD P. HERSHEY, MARY J. FRANK, CARL R. SIMMONS, FRANK J. TURANO
-
Publication number: 20030046732Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for regulating plant GABA production. More particularly, the invention relates to the use of polynucleotides that encode functional plant GAD enzymes for enhancing a plant's ability to produce. In various aspects, the invention provides methods of treating plants, vectors and other nucleic acid molecules useful for the treatments, and transformed plants better able to tolerate environmental or other plant stress.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2001Publication date: March 6, 2003Inventors: Alan M. Kinnersley, Frank J. Turano