Patents by Inventor Thomas Schmulling

Thomas Schmulling 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: 20100115666
    Abstract: The invention relates to fusion proteins capable of acting as transcriptional repressors of cytokinin signaling, to polynucleotides encoding these fusion proteins, to vectors and cells comprising these polynucleotides, and to transgenic plants and parts thereof comprising these polynucleotides, vectors, and cells. The invention further relates to a process for making these transgenic plants and to the use of these transgenic plants for producing seeds of enhanced size, with enhanced seed filling, with reduced seed loss and/or with more rapid germination, and/or for producing a live root system with increased root mass, root length and/or root branching. The invention also relates to a method for enhancing the seed size, for enhancing seed filling, for reducing seed loss, and/or for reducing germination time and/or reproduction time, and/or for enhancing the root mass, root length and/or root branching of a plant and to seeds obtainable by the methods of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2007
    Publication date: May 6, 2010
    Applicant: FREIE UNIVERSITÄT BERLIN
    Inventors: Thomas Schmülling, Alexander Heyl, Eswar Ramireddy
  • Patent number: 7619146
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Methods and compositions for increasing seed yield are also provided. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Inventors: Valérie Frankard, Thomas Schmülling, Tomàs Werner
  • Publication number: 20090222948
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Methods and compositions for increasing seed yield are also provided. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Patent number: 7468475
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Methods and compositions for increasing seed yield are also provided. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 23, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Schmülling, Tomàs Werner
  • Publication number: 20080307547
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. The invention also relates to novel plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising said sequences. The invention also relates to the use of said sequences for improving root-related characteristics including increasing yield and/or enhancing early vigor and/or modifying root/shoot ratio and/or improving resistance to lodging and/or increasing drought tolerance and/or promoting in vitro propagation of explants and/or modifying cell fate and/or plant development and/or plant morphology and/or plant biochemistry and/or plant physiology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 11, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20080295197
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for increasing seed yield of a plant. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase in the aleurone and/or embryo of a seed. The invention also relates to vectors comprising a nucleic acid encoding a cytokinin oxidase that is operably linked to a promoter capable of driving expression in the aleurone and/or embryo of a seed, and to host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences. The use of these sequences for increasing yield is also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20080222755
    Abstract: The present invention provides nucleotide sequences and corresponding amino acid sequences for plant cytokinin oxidase proteins. In addition, vectors, host cells, and transgenic plants comprising such sequences as well as methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism using such sequences are provided by the present invention. Also provided by the present invention are methods for altering various plant phenotypes including delaying onset to flowering, increasing leaf thickness, reducing vessel size, inducing parthenocarpy, increasing branching, increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight using cytokinin oxidase proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules encoding cytokinin oxidase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 8, 2007
    Publication date: September 11, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Patent number: 7332316
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. The invention also relates to novel plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising said sequences. The invention also relates to the use of said sequences for improving root-related characteristics including increasing yield and/or enhancing early vigor and/or modifying root/shoot ratio and/or improving resistance to lodging and/or increasing drought tolerance and/or promoting in vitro propagation of explants and/or modifying cell fate and/or plant development and/or plant morphology and/or plant biochemistry and/or plant physiology.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2008
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Patent number: 7259296
    Abstract: The present invention provides nucleotide sequences and corresponding amino acid sequences for plant cytokinin oxidase proteins. Also provided are vectors, host cells, and transgenic plants comprising such sequences as well as methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism using such sequences. Also provided by the present invention are methods for altering various plant phenotypes including increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight using cytokinin oxidase proteins and/or nucleic acid molecules encoding cytokinin oxidase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2007
    Inventors: Thomas Schmülling, Tomás Werner
  • Publication number: 20070167466
    Abstract: The invention relates to 3-,7-disubstituted pyrazolo[4,3-d]pyrimidines represented by the general formula I (I), and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof, wherein R3 is selected from the group consisting of alkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkyl alkyl, cycloheteroalkyl alkyl, cycloheteroalkyl, aryl, heterocycle, heteroaryl, arylalkyl, heteroarylalkyl, and heteroalkyl, wherein each of the groups may optionally be substituted, R7 is selected from the group consisting of halogen, hydroxyl, hydroxylamino, amino, carboxyl, cyano, nitro, amido, sulfo, sulfamido, carbamino, unsubstituted or substituted alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted arylalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted heteroarylalkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloalkyl alkyl, substituted or unsubstituted cycloheteroalkyl alkyl; R7?-X— wherein X is an —NH—, —N(alkyl)-, -0- or —S— moiety and R7? is selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, cycloalkyl, aryl, alkylcycloal
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2004
    Publication date: July 19, 2007
    Inventors: Daniela Moravcova, Libor Havlicek, Vladimir Krystof, Rene Lenobel, Pavla Binarova, Petr Mlejnek, Borek Vojtesek, Stjepan Uldrijan, Thomas Schmulling, Miroslav Strnad
  • Publication number: 20050223429
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Methods and compositions for increasing seed yield are also provided. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Inventors: Valerie Frankard, Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20050150012
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. The invention also relates to novel plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising said sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2002
    Publication date: July 7, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20050044594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Also provided by the present invention are methods for increasing seed size and/or weight, embryo size and/or weight, and cotyledon size and/or weight. The methods comprise expression of a cytokinin oxidase or expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. Methods and compositions for increasing seed yield are also provided. The invention also relates to isolated plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising such sequences.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2004
    Publication date: February 24, 2005
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20040031073
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts. The invention also relates to novel plant cytokinin oxidase proteins, nucleic acid sequences encoding cytokinin oxidase proteins as well as to vectors, host cells, transgenic cells and plants comprising said sequences. The invention also relates to the use of said sequences for improving root-related characteristics including increasing yield and/or enhancing early vigor and/or modifying root/shoot ratio and/or improving resistance to lodging and/or increasing drought tolerance and/or promoting in vitro propagation of explants and/or modifying cell fate and/or plant development and/or plant morphology and/or plant biochemistry and/or plant physiology.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20030074698
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for stimulating root growth and/or enhancing the formation of lateral or adventitious roots and/or altering root geotropism comprising expression of a plant cytokinin oxidase or comprising expression of another protein that reduces the level of active cytokinins in plants or plant parts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2001
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Tomas Werner
  • Publication number: 20030041345
    Abstract: The invention relates to nucleic acids which encode plant polypeptides with the biological activity of receptor-like protein kinases, and to the corresponding polypeptides per se.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2002
    Publication date: February 27, 2003
    Inventors: Thomas Schmulling, Silke Schafer