Patents Represented by Attorney Dennis R. Hoerner
  • Patent number: 6740488
    Abstract: The present invention provides DNA compositions and assays for detecting the presence of the DNA compositions in PV-GHGT07(1445) cotton event based on the DNA sequence of the recombinant construct inserted into the cotton genome and of the genomic sequences flanking the insertion site. Kits and conditions useful in conducting the assays are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 25, 2004
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Tasneem S Rangwala, Minwei Ye
  • Patent number: 6713259
    Abstract: The present invention provides corn that includes the MON810 event, which confers resistance to Lepidopteran insect damage. Also provided are assays for detecting the presence of the MON810 event based on the DNA sequence of the recombinant construct inserted into the corn genome that resulted in the MON81O event and of genomic sequences flanking the insertion site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2004
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventor: Elaine B. Levine
  • Patent number: 6657046
    Abstract: The present invention discloses DNA sequences encoding plant and novel lipid acyl hydrolase proteins having coleopteran specific insect inhibitory activity, as well as variants and permuteins having enhanced levels of activity directed to controlling coleotperan insect infestation and enhanced levels of expression in planta. Additionally, catalytic dyad active site conformation is disclosed for both dicot and monocot plant derived non-specific lipid acyl hydrolases having coleopteran insect inhibitory properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Murtaza F. Alibhai, Timothy J. Rydel
  • Patent number: 6653280
    Abstract: An antifungal polypeptide, AlyAFP, that controls fungal damage to plants is provided. DNA encoding this polypeptide can be cloned into vectors for transformation of plant-colonizing microorganisms or plants, thereby providing a method of inhibiting fungal growth on plants. The polypeptide can be formulated into compositions that can be used to control undesired fungi on plants and elsewhere.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jihong Liang, Dilip Maganlal Shah, Yonnie Shun Wu, Cindy Annette Rosenberger
  • Patent number: 6576818
    Abstract: Provided are two plant cDNA clones that are homologs of the bacterial CelA genes that encode the catalytic subunit of cellulose synthase, derived from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Also provided are genomic promoter regions to these encoding regions to cellulose synthase. Methods for using cellulose synthase in cotton fiber and wood quality modification are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2003
    Assignee: Calgene LLC
    Inventors: David M. Stalker, Julie R. Pear, Deborah Delmer
  • Patent number: 6573361
    Abstract: A novel protein was isolated from Fusarium culmorum and characterized. The protein, termed FCWP1, demonstrated significant antifungal activity against several fungal species. Mutations in proteolytic consensus sequences contained within FCWP1 improved the stability of its antifungal activity. In addition, a class of proteins related to FCWP1 was identified and characterized. This class is made up of ribosomal proteins and displayed similar values for pI and molecular weight. A representative number of proteins from this class were tested and found to have significant antifungal activities. The antifungal proteins disclosed herein are useful in controlling fungal infections in plants. Transgenic plants may be produced that are more resistant to fungal infections relative to non-transgenic plants of the same species. Alternatively, the proteins may be applied to plants exogenously.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Greg J. Bunkers, Jihong Liang, Cindy A. Mittanck, Jeffrey W. Seale, Yonnie S. Wu
  • Patent number: 6551962
    Abstract: A method to protect corn against feeding damage by one or more pests includes the treatment of corn seed having a transgenic event that is targeted against at least one of the pests with a pesticide in an amount that is effective against the same or another of the one or more pests. Seeds having such protection are also disclosed, as well as a means for deploying a non-transgenic refuge crop into a field of transgenic crops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jay C. Pershing, Eric S. Sachs, Ernest F. Sanders
  • Patent number: 6544733
    Abstract: The invention describes a new method to isolate disease resistance genes in plants. The method teaches to transiently express in susceptible plants large numbers of R-gene homologs or non-host inducible genes isolated from non-host resistant plants. These plants can be screened for either disease resistance or ability to respond with a hypersensitive response to pathogen-elicitor subjection. The invention also reports several R-genes and non-host inducible genes that have been successfully isolated using the described method. These R-genes trigger a hypersensitive response in tobacco that is dependent on the presence of the ubiquitous P. infestans elicitor INF1. The presented R-genes are predicted to be both the first R-genes isolated that confer resistance against P. infestans and the first R-genes involved in non-host resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Caius M. T. Rommens, Kathleen M M Swords, Hua Yan, Bei Zhang
  • Patent number: 6541448
    Abstract: A novel gene encoding a Coleopteran inhibitory Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal crystal protein is disclosed. The protein, tIC851, is insecticidally active and provides plant protection from at least cotton boll weevil, Anthomomus grandis, when applied to plants in an insecticidally effective composition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Barbara Isaac, Elysia K. Krieger, Anne-Marie Light Mettus, Farhad Moshiri, Sakuntala Sivasupramanian
  • Patent number: 6506962
    Abstract: The invention describes new acquired resistance genes in plants. A method of using the genes to make transgenic plants that are resistant to disease is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Oleg V. Bougri, Caius M. T. Rommens, Neelam Srivastava, Kathleen M. M. Swords
  • Patent number: 6501009
    Abstract: The present invention discloses methods and compositions comprising a group of novel expression cassettes which provide significantly improved levels of accumulation of Coleopteran inhibitory Cry3B and Cry3B variant amino acid sequences when these are expressed in plants. The preferred embodiments of the invention provide at least up to ten fold higher levels of insect controlling protein relative to the highest levels obtained using prior compositions. In particular, transgenic maize expressing higher levels of a protein designed to exhibit increased toxicity toward Coleopteran pests deliver superior levels of insect protection and are less likely to sponsor development of populations of target insects that are resistant to the insecticidally active protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2002
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventor: Charles P. Romano
  • Patent number: 6489542
    Abstract: Disclosed is a means of controlling plant pests by a novel method of expressing Cry2Ab B. thuringiensis &dgr;-endotoxins in plants, targeted to the plastids. The invention comprises novel nucleic acid segments encoding proteins comprising Cry2Ab B. thuringiensis &dgr;-endotoxins. The nucleic acid segments are disclosed, as are transformation vectors containing the nucleic acid segments, plants transformed with the claimed segments, methods for transforming plants, and methods of controlling plant infestation by pests.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2002
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: David R. Corbin, Charles P. Romano
  • Patent number: 6448476
    Abstract: The invention relates in general to plants, plant cells, methods of making, and methods of using plants and plant cells transformed to contain a DNA sequence encoding an AMPA-N-acetyltransferase, and to plants and plant cells exhibiting resistance to AMPA in an amount which inhibits the growth of a plant or plant cell lacking a sequence encoding an AMPA-N-acetyltransferase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventor: Gerard F. Barry
  • Patent number: 6448387
    Abstract: Arrays of polynucleotide or polypeptide target molecules immobilized on a surface of a substrate where the target molecules are arranged in the array according to intensity of organism expression of cognate probe molecules which hybridize to the target molecules. For instance, target molecules having a higher than average indicia of hybridization, e.g. at least a factor of 2, are segregated at a peripheral region of the substrate and at a lower surface density. Preferred arrays can contain animal, plant or microorganism target molecules including Aspergillus nidulans. Diagnostic arrays can comprise targets from mixed species, e.g. human, mouse and virus; plant breeding arrays can comprise targets from mixed plants, e.g. Arabidopsis thaliana, maize, soy, cotton, wheat, rice, canola and potato.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2002
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology, LLC
    Inventors: Caroline Slater, Jeffrey P Cambray, Robert A. Obar
  • Patent number: 6235482
    Abstract: Promoters and genes isolated from genomic DNA of strawberry plants are disclosed. Both the promoters and genes are capable of tissue-specific expression in transgenic plants. A plant promoter that is a nucleic acid region located upstream of the 5′ end of a plant DNA structural coding sequence that is transcribed at high levels in ripening fruit tissue. This promoter region is capable of conferring high levels of transcription in ripening fruit tissue and in developing seed tissues when used as a promoter for a heterologous coding sequence in a chimeric gene. The promoter and any chimeric gene in which it may be used can be used to obtain transformed plants or plant cells. A DNA coding sequence that codes for a gene that is highly transcribed in ripening fruit tissue of Fragaria X ananassa. This coding sequence can be used to obtain a cDNA probe useful in obtaining analogous promoters from a homologous coding sequence in other plant species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2001
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventor: Timothy W. Conner
  • Patent number: 6225114
    Abstract: DNA encoding glyphosate-tolerant 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate (EPSP) synthases, plant genes encoding the glyphosate-tolerant enzymes, and plant transformation vectors containing the genes are disclosed. The DNA encodes glyphosate-tolerant EPSP synthases modified by substitution of an alanine residue for a glycine residue in a first conserved sequence found between positions 80 and 120, and a threonine residue for an alanine residue in a second conserved sequence found between positions 170 and 210 in the mature wild type EPSP synthase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2001
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventors: David Alan Eichholtz, Charles Scott Gasser, Ganesh Murthy Kishore
  • Patent number: 6037527
    Abstract: A plant expression vector is constructed to cause the expression of an amino-terminal portion of the Bacillus thuringiensis delta-endotoxin gene in plant cells and the vector is used to create transgenic plants expressing the toxin. A truncated form of the toxin is used, with carboxy-terminal prolines added for stability. A translational enhancer sequence derived from the untranslated leader sequence from the mRNA of the coat protein gene of alfalfa mosaic virus coat protein gene is placed between a promoter and the toxin gene to increase translational efficiency. The transgenic plants produced are toxic to Lepidopteran pests and can transmit that trait to their progeny by normal Mendelian inheritance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventors: Kenneth A. Barton, Paul F. Umbeck
  • Patent number: 5866775
    Abstract: Glyphosate-tolerant 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate (EPSP) synthases, DNA encoding glyphsate-tolerant EPSP synthases, plant genes encoding the glyphosate-tolerant enzymes, plant transformation vectors containing the genes, transformed plant cells and differentiated transformed plants containing the plant genes are disclosed. The glyphosate-tolerant EPSP synthases are prepared by substituting an alanine residue for a glycine residue in a first conserved sequence found between positions 80 and 120, and a threonine residue for an alanine residue in a second conserved sequence found between positions 170 and 210 in the mature wild type EPSP synthase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1990
    Date of Patent: February 2, 1999
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventors: David Alan Eichholtz, Charles Scott Gasser, Ganesh Murthy Kishore
  • Patent number: 5776760
    Abstract: Genes encoding a glyphosate oxidoreductase enzyme are disclosed. The genes are useful in producing transformed bacteria and plants which degrade glyphosate herbicide as well as crop plants which are tolerant to glyphosate herbicide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 7, 1998
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventors: Gerard Francis Barry, Ganesh Murthy Kishore
  • Patent number: 5659122
    Abstract: This invention provides DNA molecules which comprise 5' non-translated leader sequences derived from genes coding for heat shock proteins that enhance gene expression in plants when present in a chimeric gene. Plant cells and plants containing same are also provided herewith. Further provided is a method for enhancing gene expression in plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 1994
    Date of Patent: August 19, 1997
    Assignee: Monsanto Company
    Inventor: Glenn Douglas Austin