Patents by Inventor T. Erik Mirkov

T. Erik Mirkov 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: 20120278946
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates, according to some embodiments, to methods of increasing viral resistance in a plant, methods of increasing transgene expression in a plant, and methods of suppressing expression of a native gene in a plant. In some embodiments, the disclosure also relates to polypeptides involved in post-translational gene silencing (PTGS), for e.g., a protein active in PTGS or a suppressor of PTGS. The disclosure further relates to transgenic plant cells in which PTGS is altered (e.g., enhanced or suppressed) according to some embodiments.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht
  • Patent number: 8252552
    Abstract: This invention relates to a regulatory element useful for genetically engineering sugarcane or other monocots, to the transformation of the monocots with the regulatory element so that they produce a desired product, and to the regeneration of the monocots transformed with the regulatory element. In particular the present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding the promoter of a sugarcane proline rich protein as shown in Seq ID #3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Jean P. Monclin, Adam Barrilleaux, James E. Irvine, Francis Moonan
  • Publication number: 20110283377
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates, in some embodiments, to compositions, organisms, systems, and methods for expressing a gene product in a plant using a expression control sequence (ECS) operable in monocots and/or dicots. For example, (i) an isolated nucleic acid may comprise an ECS (e.g., a sugarcane bacilliform virus promoter) and, optionally, an exogenous nucleic acid (ExNA) operably linked to the ECS; (ii) an expression vector may comprise an ECS; an ExNA; and, optionally, a 3? termination sequence, wherein the ECS has promoter activity sufficient to express the ExNA in at least one monocot and at least one dicot; (iii) a microorganism, plant cell, or plant may comprise an isolated nucleic acid; (iv) a method for constitutively expressing an ExNA in a plant (e.g.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Jong Won Park, San-Ji Gao
  • Patent number: 7973217
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as OMT promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an OMT promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2011
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Mona B. Damaj, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Patent number: 7816506
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to a regulatory element useful for genetically engineering sugarcane or other monocots, to the transformation of the monocots with the regulatory element so that they produce a desired product, and to the regeneration of the monocots transformed with the regulatory element. In particular the present disclosure provides a nucleic acid encoding a promoter of a Sugarcane Elongation Factor (SEF), for example, as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 19, 2010
    Assignee: The Texas A & M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Andrew Paterson, Meizhu Yang
  • Patent number: 7777096
    Abstract: The present disclosure includes methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as monocots. Some embodiments include methods of increasing expression of transgenes in plants. Such methods may include selecting a protein involved in post-translational gene silencing (PTGS), for e.g., a protein active in PTGS or a suppressor of PTGS, in a plant and transforming the plant with a nucleic acid encoding the protein involved in PTGS wherein expression of the protein involved in PTGS increases expression of the transgene in the plant. One non-limiting example of such a protein is the Sorghum Mosaic Virus (SrMV) P1/HC-Pro. Methods of the disclosure may be used to regulate silencing of transgenes and to increase expression of transgenes in a variety of plants such as sugarcane, corn, sorghum, and/or rice.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2010
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht
  • Patent number: 7754946
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as JAS promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an JAS promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2010
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Mona B. Damaj, T. Erik Mirkov, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Publication number: 20100031396
    Abstract: This invention relates to a regulatory element useful for genetically engineering sugarcane or other monocots, to the transformation of the monocots with the regulatory element so that they produce a desired product, and to the regeneration of the monocots transformed with the regulatory element. In particular the present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding the promoter of a sugarcane proline rich protein as shown in SEQ ID NO: 5.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Andrew Paterson, Meizhu Yang
  • Publication number: 20100011460
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as JAS promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an JAS promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 25, 2009
    Publication date: January 14, 2010
    Inventors: Mona B. Damaj, T. Erik Mirkov, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Patent number: 7632936
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Texas A & M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht
  • Patent number: 7632937
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2009
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht
  • Patent number: 7534614
    Abstract: The present invention discloses transgenic plant cells transformed with a nucleic acid encoding a SrMV P1/HC-Pro protein, wherein expression of the protein suppresses post-transcriptional gene silencing in the cell. The transgenic plant cell may be located in an embryonic callus or in a mature plant. The plant may be a monocot plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht
  • Publication number: 20080244794
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as OMT promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an OMT promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2008
    Publication date: October 2, 2008
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Mona B. Damaj, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Patent number: 7323622
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as OMT promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an OMT promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Mona B. Damaj, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Patent number: 7253276
    Abstract: The invention is directed to isolated promoters from stem-regulated, defense-inducible genes, such as JAS promoters. The promoters are useful in expression cassettes and expression vectors for the transformation of plants. Particularly, the invention provides transgenic plants of rice and sugarcane that have been modified such that expression of a heterologous coding sequence is directed by an JAS promoter and is limited to stem tissues or may be upregulated by the presence of a defense-inducing agent. The invention also discloses methods for producing the expression vectors and transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2007
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: Mona B. Damaj, T. Erik Mirkov, Avutu Reddy, Terry L. Thomas, Keerti S. Rathore, Chandrakanth Emani, Siva Prasad Kumpatla
  • Publication number: 20070067880
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Publication date: March 22, 2007
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan Ingelbrecht
  • Publication number: 20060272052
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan Ingelbrecht
  • Publication number: 20060272047
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 28, 2006
    Publication date: November 30, 2006
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan Ingelbrecht
  • Patent number: 7141427
    Abstract: This invention relates to a regulatory element useful for genetically engineering sugarcane or other monocots, to the transformation of the monocots with the regulatory element so that they produce a desired product, and to the regeneration of the monocots transformed with the regulatory element. In particular the present invention provides a nucleic acid encoding the promoter of a sugarcane proline rich protein as shown in Seq ID #3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Andrew Paterson, Meizhu Yang
  • Patent number: 7001739
    Abstract: The present invention includes a method for detecting and isolating sugarcane proteins that interact with the HC-Pro and P1 proteins of SrMV and other proteins involved in gene silencing, particularly in sugarcane. The method uses a two hybrid assay with an HC-Pro, P1, or other silencing-related protein-containing bait protein and a prey protein containing a polypeptide encoded by a DNA molecule in a cDNA library. The method also includes identification of false positives through reverse two-hybrid assays and using in vitro techniques such as farwestern blots or pull down assays where plant physiological conditions may be replicated. Finally, interactions may be confirmed in planta. Some novel proteins used in and discovered using the these methods are also identified. Methods of using viral and plant proteins to regulate silencing in plants such as sugarcane are also discussed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: The Texas A&M University System
    Inventors: T. Erik Mirkov, Ivan L. Ingelbrecht