Patents by Inventor Christopher John Robert Thomas

Christopher John Robert Thomas 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).

  • Patent number: 9481890
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant comprising introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene comprising a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence comprises the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: British American Tobacco (Investments) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Martin Richard Ward
  • Publication number: 20140033364
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot of nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert THOMAS, Martin Richard WARD
  • Patent number: 8575423
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Martin Richard Ward
  • Publication number: 20120011616
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. I or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Martin Richard Ward
  • Patent number: 8093459
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Martin Richard Ward
  • Publication number: 20090249518
    Abstract: A method of modifying morphology in a plant by introducing into a plant at least one chimaeric gene having a promoter sequence operably associated with a nucleic acid sequence, the promoter sequence being operable to direct expression in specific cells of the plant and the nucleic acid sequence encoding at least one gene product capable of altering the metabolism of or causing death of the specific cells and/or nearby cells. In particular, the promoter sequence is operable to direct expression in lateral bud or lateral shoot and the nucleic acid encoding at least one gene product capable of disrupting the metabolism of or causing the death of the lateral bud or lateral shoot or nearby cells. Preferably the promoter sequence has the sequence shown as SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 or SEQ ID No. 4, or a part thereof capable of regulating expression of a gene, or a sequence having at least 60%, preferably at least 75%, homology to SEQ ID No. 1 or SEQ ID No. 7 and being capable of regulating expression of a gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2007
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Martin Richard Ward
  • Patent number: 7282624
    Abstract: This invention seeks to provide means by which transgenic plants harbour within their genome a chimaeric gene which when expressed produces a protein having a cytotoxic effect. Cytotoxicity is achieved by way of a protein or part thereof capable of blocking cellular protein synthesis, such as a maize ribosome inactivating protein or part thereof. The chimaeric gene may comprise a promoter operably linked to a sequence encoding a protein capable of blocking cellular protein synthesis such that the promoter is inducible at and/or adjacent to a target site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 16, 2007
    Assignee: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: Christopher John Robert Thomas, Michael John McPherson, Howard John Atkinson, Anil Neelam
  • Patent number: 6294713
    Abstract: A sequence from the gene encoding for reduced sugar production is used, in sense or antisense orientation to transform potato such that less sugar is stored in the tubers of the transformed plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1992
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2001
    Assignee: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: Keith Stuart Blundy, Michael Meyrick Burrell, George Stephen Morris, Christopher John Robert Thomas
  • Patent number: 6140554
    Abstract: This invention seeks to improve the specificity of gene expression by targeting a specific expression site of a target gene. There is thus provided a chimaeric gene which comprises a promoter which expresses in more than one region of the organism to be affected. The promoter is linked to an agent which affects the functioning of an endogenous gene in the plant which is also expressed in more than one region of the plant. The promoter and agent are selected so that there is an overlap in their expression sites at one or more desired locations. This overlap site(s) gives increased specificity and targeting of gene expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Technologies (Cambridge) Limited
    Inventors: David O'Reilly, Christopher John Robert Thomas