Patents by Inventor Oliver Ratcliffe

Oliver 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).

  • Patent number: 8110725
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Luis Riechmann, Jacqueline E. Heard, Oliver Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber
  • Patent number: 8030546
    Abstract: Transcription factor polynucleotides and polypeptides incorporated into nucleic acid constructs, including expression vectors, have been introduced into plants and were ectopically expressed. Transgenic plants transformed with many of these constructs have been shown to be more resistant to disease (in some cases, to more than one pathogen), or more tolerant to an abiotic stress (in some cases, to more than one abiotic stress). The abiotic stress may include, for example, salt, hyperosmotic stress, water deficit, heat, cold, drought, or low nutrient conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: T. Lynne Reuber, Oliver Ratcliffe, Karen S. Century, Neal I. Gutterson, Roger Canales, Emily L. Queen
  • Publication number: 20110173712
    Abstract: Altering the activity of specific regulatory proteins in plants, for example, by knocking down or knocking out HY5 clade or STH2 clade protein expression, or by modifying COP1 clade protein expression, can have beneficial effects on plant performance, including improved stress tolerance and yield.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Applicant: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Rajnish Khanna, Oliver Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber
  • Publication number: 20110126326
    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: June 26, 2009
    Publication date: May 26, 2011
    Applicant: MENDEL BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: Shiv Tiwari, Roger Canales, T. Lynne Reuber, Karen S. Century, Oliver Ratcliffe
  • Publication number: 20110078806
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 31, 2011
    Applicant: MENDEL BIOTECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: CAI-ZHONG JIANG, JACQUELINE E. HEARD, OLIVER RATCLIFFE, ROBERT A. CREELMAN, LUC ADAM, T. LYNNE REUBER, JOSE LUIS RIECHMANN, VOLKER HAAKE, ARNOLD N. DUBELL, JAMES S. KEDDIE, BRADLEY K. SHERMAN
  • Patent number: 7897843
    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 advantageous properties, including increased biomass or improved cold or other osmotic stress tolerance, as compared to wild-type or reference plants. The invention also pertains to expression systems that may be used to regulate these transcription factor polynucleotides, providing constitutive, transient, inducible and tissue-specific regulation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2011
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cai-Zhong Jiang, Jacqueline E. Heard, Oliver Ratcliffe, Neal I. Gutterson, Frederick D. Hempel, Roderick W. Kumimoto, James S. Keddie, Bradley K. Sherman, Jeffrey M. Libby, Jindong Sun, Kimberly Faye Zobrist-Duff, Jingrui Wu, Changlin Fu, Stanton B. Dotson, Linda L. Lutfiyya
  • Patent number: 7888558
    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 advantageous properties, tolerance low nitrogen, cold and water deficit conditions, and resistance to disease, as compared to wild-type or other control plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Neal I. Gutterson, Oliver Ratcliffe, Emily L. Queen, T. Lynne Reuber, Karen S. Century, Roger Canales
  • Patent number: 7868229
    Abstract: The present invention provides polynucleotides encoding CCAAT-binding transcription factor polypeptides that modulate the onset of reproductive development in plants. Polynucleotides encoding functional CCAAT-binding transcription factors were incorporated into expression vectors, introduced into plants, and ectopically expressed. The encoded polypeptides of the invention significantly shortened the time to flower development in the transgenic plants, as compared to the flowering time of control plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver Ratcliffe, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Peter P. Repetti, T. Lynne Reuber, Robert Creelman, Frederick D. Hempel
  • Patent number: 7858848
    Abstract: The invention is directed to transgenic plants transformed with nucleic acids that encode a plant transcription factor that increases the transgenic plant's size and yield and/or delays flowering in the plant, and methods of using and producing the transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 28, 2010
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology Inc.
    Inventors: T. Lynne Reuber, Oliver Ratcliffe, Jacqueline Heard, Jose Luis Riechmann, Omaira Pineda, Luc Adam
  • Patent number: 7825296
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Cai-Zhong Jiang, Jacqueline E. Heard, Oliver Ratcliffe, Robert A. Creelman, T. Lynne Reuber, Jose Luis Riechmann
  • Publication number: 20100175145
    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: February 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 8, 2010
    Applicant: MENDEL BIOTECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: JACQUELINE E. HEARD, JOSE LUIS RIECHMANN, ROBERT A. CREELMAN, OLIVER 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: 20100162427
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2010
    Publication date: June 24, 2010
    Applicant: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jose Luis RIECHMANN, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Jacqueline E. Heard, Robert Creelman, Oliver Ratcliffe, Luc J. Adam, T. Lynne Reuber, Peter P. Repetti, Roderick W. Kumimoto, Neal I. Gutterson, Marsha L. Pilgrim, Omaira Pineda, James Zhang, Gregory Nadzan
  • Patent number: 7692067
    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: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2010
    Assignees: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc., Monsanto Company
    Inventors: Robert Creelman, Neal I. Gutterson, Oliver Ratcliffe, T. Lynne Reuber, R. Eric Cerny, Kimberly Faye Zobrist Duff, Susanne Kjemtrup-Lovelace, Robert Meister, Marie Petracek, Thomas Ruff, Qingzhang Xu
  • Publication number: 20100083395
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: T. Lynne Reuber, Jose Luis Riechmann, Jacqueline E. Heard, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Luc Adam, Oliver Ratcliffe, Omaira Pineda, Guo-Liang Yu, Neal I. Gutterson, Frederick D. Hempel, Roderick W. Kumimoto, James S. Keddie
  • Publication number: 20100083402
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference or control plant, including increased plant size, seed size, increased leaf size, lignification, water deprivation tolerance, cold tolerance, or altered flowering time. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2009
    Publication date: April 1, 2010
    Applicant: MENDEL BIOTECHNOLOGY, INC.
    Inventors: JACQUELINE E. HEARD, JOSE LUIS RIECHMANN, OLIVER RATCLIFFE, OMAIRA PINEDA, T. LYNNE REUBER, JAMES ZHANG, GREGORY NADZAN
  • Patent number: 7663025
    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: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2010
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacqueline E. Heard, Jose Luis Riechmann, Robert A. Creelman, Oliver Ratcliffe, Roger D. Canales, Neal I. Gutterson, T. Lynne Reuber, Omaira Pineda, Tracy A. Morrison, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Karen S. Century
  • Patent number: 7659446
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Bradley K. Sherman, Jose Luis Riechmann, Oliver Ratcliffe, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Jacqueline Heard, Volker Haake, Robert A. Creelman, Luc J. Adam, Lynne Reuber, James S. Keddie, Arnold Dubell, Omaira Pineda, Peter P. Repetti, Karen S. Century, Neal Gutterson, Guo-Liang Yu, Pierre Broun, Roderick Kumimoto, Marsha L. Pilgrim
  • Patent number: 7635800
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2009
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: Oliver Ratcliffe, Luc Adam, Jacqueline E. Heard, Cai-Zhong Jiang, T. Lynne Reuber, Robert A. Creelman
  • Publication number: 20090276912
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Publication date: November 5, 2009
    Applicant: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: BRADLEY K. SHERMAN, Jose Luis Riechmann, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Jacqueline E. Heard, Volker Haake, Robert A. Creelman, Oliver Ratcliffe, Luc J. Adam, T. Lynne Reuber, James Keddie, Pierre E. Broun, Marsha L. Pilgrim, Arnold N. DuBell, III, Omaira Pineda, Guo-Liang Yu
  • Patent number: 7601893
    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 advantageous properties compared to a reference plant. Sequence information related to these polynucleotides and polypeptides can also be used in bioinformatic search methods and is also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2009
    Assignee: Mendel Biotechnology, Inc.
    Inventors: T. Lynne Reuber, Jose Luis Riechmann, Jacqueline E. Heard, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Luc Adam, Arnold N. Dubell, Oliver Ratcliffe, Omaira Pineda, Guo-Liang Yu, Pierre Broun