Patents Represented by Attorney, Agent or Law Firm J. Timothy Meigs
  • Patent number: 6346655
    Abstract: The present invention discloses trichothecene-resistant transgenic plants, plant tissues, plant seeds, and plant cells comprising a heterologous polynucleotide encoding a gene product having tricothecene resistance activity that thereby confers trichothecene resistance to the transgenic plants, plant tissues, plant seeds, and plant cells. Trichothecene resistance activity, as used herein, refers to an activity that reduces or inhibits the phytotoxicity of a trichothecene, particularly to a fungus and/or plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Thomas M. Hohn, Cheryl Peters, John Salmeron
  • Patent number: 6320100
    Abstract: DNA sequences optimized for expression in plants are disclosed. The DNA sequences preferably encode for an insecticidal polypeptides, particularly insecticidal proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis. Plant promoters, particular tissue-specific and tissue-preferred promoters are also provided. Additionally disclosed are transformation vectors comprising said DNA sequences. The transformation vectors demonstrate high levels of insecticidal activity when transformed into maize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Investments, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael G. Koziel, Nalini M. Desai, Kelly S. Lewis, Gregory W. Warren, Stephen V. Evola, Martha S. Wright, Karen L. Launis, Steven J. Rothstein, Cindy G. Bowman, John L. Dawson, Erik M. Dunder, Gary M. Pace, Janet L. Suttie
  • Patent number: 6319673
    Abstract: The present invention provides primers and probes for use in TaqMan™ quantitative PCR assays for the detection of Tapesia yallundae (syn. Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides W-type) and Tapesia acuformis (syn. Pseudocercosporella herpotrichoides R-type). The present invention also provides primers and probes for use in TaqMan™ quantitative PCR control assays for the detection of wheat DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: James Joseph Beck, Charles Jason Barnett
  • Patent number: 6308458
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for controlling the growth of undesired vegetation comprising applying an effective amount of a protox-inhibiting herbicide to a population of transgenic plants or plant seed transformed with a DNA sequence coding for a modified protox enzyme that is tolerant to a protox-inhibiting herbicide or to the locus where a population of the transgenic plants or plant seeds is cultivated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2001
    Assignee: Novartis Finance Corporation
    Inventors: Sandra L. Volrath, Marie A. Johnson, Eric R. Ward, Peter B. Heifetz
  • Patent number: 6307129
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel eukaryotic DNA sequences coding for native protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) or modified forms of the enzyme which are herbicide tolerant. Plants having altered protox activity which confers tolerance to herbicides are also provided. These plants are engineered for resistance to protox inhibitors via mutation of the native protox gene to a resistant form or they are transformed with modified eukaryotic or prokaryotic protox coding sequences or wild type prokaryotic protox sequences which are herbicide tolerant. Plant genes encoding wild-type and altered protox, purified plant protox, methods of isolating protox from plants, and methods of using protox-encoding genes are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Investment Corporation
    Inventors: Eric R. Ward, Sandra Volrath
  • Patent number: 6300544
    Abstract: Cytochrome P450II dependent monooxygenases and DNA molecules encoding these monooxygenases are provided, which are able to catalyze the biosynthetic conversion of aldoximes to nitrils and the conversion of said nitrils to the corresponding cyanohydrins, which are the precursors of cyanogenic glycosides. Moreover, the invention provides methods for obtaining DNA molecules according to the invention and methods for obtaining transgenic plants resistant to insects, acarids, or nematodes or plants with improved nutritive value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignees: Syngenta Participations AG, Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University
    Inventors: Barbara Ann Halkier, Sören Bak, Rachel Alice Kahn, Birger Lindberg Möller
  • Patent number: 6300103
    Abstract: An anti-microbial protein comprising a peptide having the amino acid sequence: AA1-AA2-AA3-Cys-AA5-AA6-AA7-AA8-AA9-Cys-AA11-AA12-AA13-AA14-Cys-Cys-AA17-AA18-AA19-AA20-AA21-Cys-AA23-AA24-AA25-AA26-AA27-AA28-Cys-AA30. An anti-microbial protein having the sequence depicted in any one of SEQ ID Nos 1-3. Recombinant DNA encoding such proteins. A vector comprising such DNA which is expressible in plants and which is linked to a plant operable promoter and terminator. Plants transformed with such recombinant DNA; the progeny of such plants which contain the DNA stably incorporated and hereditable in a Mendelian manner, and/or the seeds of such plants or such progeny.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participants AG
    Inventors: Karsten Matthias Kragh, Jørn Dalgaard Mikkelsen, Klaus Kristian Nielsen
  • Patent number: 6300091
    Abstract: The invention relates to genes isolated from Arabidopsis that code for proteins essential for normal plant development. The invention also includes the methods of using these proteins to discover new herbicides, based on the essentiality of the genes for normal growth and development. The invention can also be used in a screening assay to identify inhibitors that are potential herbicides. The invention is also applied to the development of herbicide tolerant plants, plant tissues, plant seeds, and plant cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: David A. Patton, Carl S. Ashby, John A. McElver
  • Patent number: 6294345
    Abstract: The present invention provides plant ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO genes. Also disclosed are the recombinant production of ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO enzymes in heterologous hosts, screening chemicals for herbicidal activity using these recombinantly produced enzymes, and the use of thereby identified herbicidal chemicals to suppress the growth of undesired vegetation. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for the development of herbicide tolerance in plants, plant tissues, plant seeds, and plant cells using ENR-A, CBL, UROD, PBGD, and CPPO genes of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Joshua Zvi Levin, Michael William Bauer, Feng Zheng
  • Patent number: 6291156
    Abstract: The present invention is drawn to a novel class of proteins, and their receptors. Novel processes, assays and methods for controlling plant pests are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Juan Jose Estruch, Cao-Guo Yu
  • Patent number: 6288306
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel eukaryotic DNA sequences coding for native protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) or modified forms of the enzyme which are herbicide tolerant. Plants having altered protox activity which confers tolerance to herbicides and a method of selecting transformed plants are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Investment Corporation
    Inventors: Eric R. Ward, Sandra Volrath
  • Patent number: 6282837
    Abstract: The present invention provides novel eukaryotic DNA sequences coding for native protoporphyrinogen oxidase (protox) or modified forms of the enzyme which are herbicide tolerant. A method for controlling weeds using plants having altered protox activity which confers tolerance to herbicides is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: Novartis Finance Corporation
    Inventors: Eric R. Ward, Sandra Volrath
  • Patent number: 6281413
    Abstract: Novel nucleic acid sequences isolated from Photorhabdus luminescens, whose expression results in novel insecticidal toxins, are disclosed herein. The invention also discloses compositions and formulations containing the insecticidal toxins that are capable of controlling insect pests. The invention is further drawn to methods of making the toxins and to methods of using the nucleotide sequences, for example in microorganisms to control insect pests or in transgenic plants to confer insect resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Vance Cary Kramer, Michael Kent Morgan, Arne Robert Anderson, Hope Prim Hart, Gregory W. Warren, Martha M. Dunn, Jeng Shong Chen
  • Patent number: 6278041
    Abstract: A anionic peroxidase gene sequence is isolated from Nicotiana tomentisiformis. In addition, synthetic Nicotiana tomentisiformis and Nicotiana sylvestris peroxidase gene sequences are optimized for expression in plants. The peroxidase gene sequences may be expressed in transgenic plants to control insects.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Lawrence Mark Lagrimini, Nalini M Desai
  • Patent number: 6277823
    Abstract: Novel nucleic acid sequences isolated from Xenorhabdus nematophilus, Xenorhabdus poinarii, and Photorhabdus luminescens, whose expression results in novel insecticidal toxins, are disclosed herein. The invention also discloses compositions and formulations containing the insecticidal toxins that are capable of controlling insect pests. The invention is further drawn to methods of making the toxins and to methods of using the nucleotide sequences, for example in microorganisms to control insect pests or in transgenic plants to confer insect resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Vance Cary Kramer, Michael Kent Morgan, Arne Robert Anderson
  • Patent number: 6271445
    Abstract: The present invention discloses plant derived nucleic acid molecules and proteins. The protein disclosed in the present invention have 5′-phosphoribosyl-5-aminoimidazole (AIR) synthetase activity. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods for producing transgenic plants, transgenic plant tissues, transgenic plant seeds, and transgenick plant cells using genes encoding enzymes having AIR synthetase activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Eric Russell Ward, David Charles Guyer, Sharon Lee Potter, Venkiteswaran Subramanian, Eric Walters
  • Patent number: 6262342
    Abstract: The present invention provides chemically regulatable DNA sequences capable of regulating transcription of an associated DNA sequence in plants or plant tissues, chimeric constructions containing such sequences, vectors containing such sequences and chimeric constructions, and transgenic plants and plant tissues containing these chimeric constructions. In one aspect, the chemically regulatable DNA sequences of the invention are derived from the 5′ region of genes encoding pathogenisis-related (PR) proteins. The present invention also provides anti-pathogenic sequences derived from novel cDNAs coding for PR proteins which can be genetically engineered and transformed into plants to confer enhanced resistance to disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2001
    Assignee: Novartis Finance Corporation
    Inventors: Frederick Meins, Jr., Hideaki Shinshi, Herman C. Wenzler, Jan Hofsteenge, John A. Ryals, Christoph Sperisen
  • Patent number: 6251862
    Abstract: Novel polypeptides are isolated from the venom of the parasitic wasp, Bracon hebetor, and are designated Brh-I to Brh-V. These polypeptides are paralytic and/or toxic to insects. The entire amino acid sequence of Brh-I and the DNA encoding it is also determined. These polypeptides may be cloned into a baculovirus, and used for insect control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1996
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Gary B. Quistad, Douglas J. Leisy
  • Patent number: 6242574
    Abstract: Isolated proteins having anti-fungal activity against at least Cercospora spp. The proteins contain an amino acid sequence which has at least 95% sequence identity to any of the following sequences: SEQ ID NO:3 wherein the amino acid in position 80 is alanine instead of valine, SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6. Recombinant DNA molecules encoding such proteins. A vector comprising such DNA which is expressible in plants and which is linked to a plant operable promoter and terminator. Plants transformed with such recombinant DNA; the progeny of such plants which contain the DNA stably incorporated and hereditable in a Mendelian manner, and/or the seeds of such plants or such progeny.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Klaus Kristian Nielsen, Anne Kroll Kristensen, Janne Brunstedt
  • Patent number: 6239264
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the terminal sequencing of random genomic fragments performed with the filamentous fungus A.gossypii, to the sequences obtained therewith and the use of the sequences for forensic identification, to characterize genes and gene organization of this ascomycete by inter-genomic comparison, to identify biosynthetic genes that can be used as selection markers, to isolate promotors and terminators for application in a homologous as well as heterologous context, to find putative centromere containing clones, chromosome mapping, chromosome identifying, general information about chromosome organization and in addition to identify ORF containing SRS sequences with no homology to S. cerevisiae or any other organism which allows the identification of A. gossypii specific genes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2001
    Assignee: Syngenta Participations AG
    Inventors: Peter Philippsen, Rainer Pöhlmann, Sabine Steiner-Lange, Christine Mohr, Jürgen Wendland, Philipp Knechtle, Corinne Rebischung