Patents by Inventor Oliver J. Ratcliffe

Oliver J. Ratcliffe 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: 20240124885
    Abstract: The present disclosure identifies new genes which have the potential to increase broad acre yield in crops. This disclosure is based upon our fundamental knowledge of light signal transduction and our understanding of the roles these genes play in regulating plant growth and development in response to light. Transgenic plants with gain- or loss-of-function of one of these genes, or in combination, are expected to show significant improvements in broad acre yield and stress tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2023
    Publication date: April 18, 2024
    Inventors: Rajnish Khanna, Brent A. Kronmiller, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Marie E. Petracek, Robert J. Meister, Sasha Preuss, Amanda McClerren, Qungang Qi
  • Publication number: 20240093219
    Abstract: Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Katherine Krolikowski, Jacqueline E. Heard, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Robert A. Creelman, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Paul S. Chomet
  • Publication number: 20220220492
    Abstract: Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 1, 2020
    Publication date: July 14, 2022
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Katherine Krolikowski, Jacqueline E. Heard, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Robert A. Creelman, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Paul S. Chomet
  • Publication number: 20220042029
    Abstract: The present disclosure identifies new genes which have the potential to increase broad acre yield in crops. This disclosure is based upon our fundamental knowledge of light signal transduction and our understanding of tile roles these genes play in regulating plant growth and development in response to light. Transgenic plants with gain- or loss-of-function of one of these genes, or in combination, are expected to show significant improvements in broad acre yield and stress tolerance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2021
    Publication date: February 10, 2022
    Inventors: Rajnish Khanna, Brent A. Kronmiller, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Marie E. Petracek, Robert J. Meister, Sasha Preuss, Amanda McClerren, Qungang Qi
  • Patent number: 10982218
    Abstract: A new and strong transcriptional activation domain was identified from the Arabidopsis protein Ethylene Response Factor 98 (AtERF98). This domain has been designated as the “EDLL domain” and has a number of highly conserved amino acid residues that are found throughout the members of the AtERF98 family from plants, including in monocot and eudicot orthologs. The EDLL domain was shown to be highly active when it was fused to transcription factors from plant and yeast, and was also shown to have activation potential comparable to the widely-used VP16 activation domain derived from Herpes simplex. The EDLL domain was also active when it was targeted to a gene promoter by a sequence-specific DNA binding protein or by protein-protein interactions. Unlike other known activation domains such as VP16 and GAL4, the EDLL domain is relatively small in size, and being of plant origin, it is favored as a strong transcriptional activation tool for application in transgenic food crops.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2021
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Roger Canales, Shiv Tiwari, T. Lynne Reuber, Karen S. Century, Oliver J. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20210054397
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer increased yield, greater height, greater early season growth, greater canopy coverage, greater stem diameter, greater late season vigor, increased secondary rooting, more rapid germination, greater cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, reduced stomatal conductance, altered C/N sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, increased low phosphorus tolerance, or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to the control plant as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 8, 2020
    Publication date: February 25, 2021
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Neal I. Gutterson, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Richard Eric Cerny, Kimberly Faye Zobrist Duff, Susanne Kjemtrup-Lovelace, Robert J. Meister, Marie E. Petracek, Thomas Ruff, Qingzhang Xu
  • Patent number: 10815493
    Abstract: Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2020
    Assignees: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Katherine Krolikowski, Jacqueline E. Heard, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Robert A. Creelman, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Paul S. Chomet
  • Patent number: 10787677
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer increased yield, greater height, greater early season growth, greater canopy coverage, greater stem diameter, greater late season vigor, increased secondary rooting, more rapid germination, greater cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, reduced stomatal conductance, altered C/N sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, increased low phosphorus tolerance, or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to the control plant as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2020
    Assignees: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Neal I. Gutterson, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Richard Eric Cerny, Kimberly Faye Zobrist Duff, Susanne Kjemtrup-Lovelace, Robert J. Meister, Marie E. Petracek, Thomas Ruff, Qingzhang Xu
  • Publication number: 20200010844
    Abstract: The application describes producing polynucleotide variants of the AtHB 17 clade members and introducing the mutant variants into plants to improve plant traits. The mutant polynucleotides encode polypeptides that comprise mutations in the EAR motifs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 16, 2019
    Publication date: January 9, 2020
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Marjorie R. Lundgren, Suqin Cai, Hans E. Holtan, Graham J. Hymus, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Amanda J. Burek, Shiv B. Tiwari, Luc J. Adam, Colleen M. Marion, Megan Lau, Bonnie R. Brayton, Yu Shen
  • Publication number: 20190367565
    Abstract: The invention relates to plant transcription factor polypeptides, polynucleotides that encode them, homologs from a variety of plant species, and methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to produce transgenic plants having improved tolerance to drought, shade, and low nitrogen conditions, as compared to wild-type or reference plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2019
    Publication date: December 5, 2019
    Inventors: Jacqueline E. Heard, Jose Luis Riechmann, Robert A. Creelman, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, Roger D. Canales, Peter P. Repetti, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Neal I. Gutterson, T. Lynne Reuber, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Karen S. Century, Luc Adam, James Z Zhang, Frederick D. Hempel, Jeffrey M. Libby
  • Publication number: 20190338303
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors are introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. These polypeptides may confer at least one regulatory activity and increased yield, increased resource use efficiency, increased water use efficiency, increased light use efficiency, increased photosynthetic capacity, increased photosynthetic rate, increased photosynthetic resource use efficiency, greater vigor, and/or greater biomass as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 3, 2019
    Publication date: November 7, 2019
    Inventors: Graham J. Hymus, T. Lynne Reuber, Colleen M. Marion, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, Jeffrey M. Libby
  • Patent number: 10407689
    Abstract: The application describes producing polynucleotide variants of the AtHB 17 clade members and introducing the mutant variants into plants to improve plant traits. The mutant polynucleotides encode polypeptides that comprise mutations in the EAR motifs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Marjorie R. Lundgren, Suqin Cai, Hans E. Holtan, Graham J. Hymus, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Amanda J. Burek, Shiv B. Tiwari, Luc J. Adam, Colleen M. Marion, Megan Lau, Bonnie R. Brayton, Yu Shen
  • Patent number: 10385356
    Abstract: This disclosure provides transgenic plants, including crop plants and methods for their production. The transgenic plants comprise recombinant DNA constructs for the expression of polypeptides encoded by the DNA constructs. The polypeptides are capable of conferring improved traits to the transgenic plants when expressed under the control of a tissue-enhanced promoter. This disclosure also pertains to transgenic plants and their progeny plants, wherein the transgenic or progeny plants comprise the recombinant DNA constructs and are selected for having enhanced nitrogen use efficiency and/or nitrogen uptake. Seed of the transgenic plants that can be grown into a plant that comprise the disclosed recombinant DNA constructs and exhibits having enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, and which may be selected for this trait, are also envisioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: KOCH BIOLOGICAL SOLUTIONS, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Suqin Cai, Hans E. Holtan, T. Lynne Reuber, Oliver J. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20190233833
    Abstract: Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2019
    Publication date: August 1, 2019
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Katherine Krolikowski, Jacqueline E. Heard, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Robert A. Creelman, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Paul S. Chomet
  • Patent number: 10344294
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors are introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. These polypeptides may confer at least one regulatory activity and increased yield, increased resource use efficiency, increased water use efficiency, increased light use efficiency, increased photosynthetic capacity, increased photosynthetic rate, increased photosynthetic resource use efficiency, greater vigor, and/or greater biomass as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2019
    Assignee: Koch Biological Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Graham J. Hymus, T. Lynne Reuber, Colleen M. Marion, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, Jeffrey M. Libby
  • Publication number: 20190194682
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors are introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. These polypeptides may confer at least one regulatory activity and increased yield, increased light use efficiency, increased photosynthetic capacity, increased photosynthetic rate, increased photosynthetic resource use efficiency, greater vigor, and/or greater biomass as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2019
    Publication date: June 27, 2019
    Inventors: Graham J. Hymus, T. Lynne Reuber, Colleen M. Marion, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, Jeffrey M. Libby
  • Patent number: 10316325
    Abstract: This disclosure provides transgenic plants, including crop plants and methods for their production. The transgenic plants comprise recombinant DNA constructs for the expression of polypeptides encoded by the DNA constructs. The polypeptides are capable of conferring improved traits to the transgenic plants when expressed under the control of a tissue-enhanced promoter. This disclosure also pertains to transgenic plants and their progeny plants, wherein the transgenic or progeny plants comprise the recombinant DNA constructs and are selected for having enhanced nitrogen use efficiency and/or nitrogen uptake. Seed of the transgenic plants that can be grown into a plant that comprise the disclosed recombinant DNA constructs and exhibits having enhanced nitrogen use efficiency, and which may be selected for this trait, are also envisioned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: Koch Biological Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Robert A. Creelman, Suqin Cai, Hans E. Holtan, T. Lynne Reuber, Oliver J. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20190153457
    Abstract: A new and strong transcriptional activation domain was identified from the Arabidopsis protein Ethylene Response Factor 98 (AtERF98). This domain has been designated as the “EDLL domain” and has a number of highly conserved amino acid residues that are found throughout the members of the AtERF98 family from plants, including in monocot and eudicot orthologs. The EDLL domain was shown to be highly active when it was fused to transcription factors from plant and yeast, and was also shown to have activation potential comparable to the widely-used VP16 activation domain derived from Herpes simplex. The EDLL domain was also active when it was targeted to a gene promoter by a sequence-specific DNA binding protein or by protein-protein interactions. Unlike other known activation domains such as VP16 and GAL4, the EDLL domain is relatively small in size, and being of plant origin, it is favored as a strong transcriptional activation tool for application in transgenic food crops.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2018
    Publication date: May 23, 2019
    Inventors: Roger Canales, Shiv Tiwari, T. Lynne Reuber, Karen S. Century, Oliver J. Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20190127749
    Abstract: Polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into expression vectors are introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. These polypeptides may confer at least one regulatory activity and increased yield, increased resource use efficiency, increased water use efficiency, increased light use efficiency, increased photosynthetic capacity, increased photosynthetic rate, increased photosynthetic resource use efficiency, greater vigor, and/or greater biomass as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2018
    Publication date: May 2, 2019
    Inventors: Graham J. Hymus, T. Lynne Reuber, Colleen M. Marion, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, Jeffrey M. Libby
  • Patent number: 10273497
    Abstract: Polynucleotides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention have been shown to confer at least one regulatory activity and confer earlier flowering, longer floral organ retention, increased cold tolerance, greater tolerance to water deprivation, altered carbon-nitrogen balance sensing, increased low nitrogen tolerance, and/or increased tolerance to hyperosmotic stress as compared to a control plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignees: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver J. Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, Katherine Krolikowski, Jacqueline E. Heard, Omaira Pineda, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Robert A. Creelman, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Paul S. Chomet