Patents Issued in April 17, 2018
  • Patent number: 9944904
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for rapid production of PCV2 such that an optimum yield of the virus can be obtained. This invention also relates to the vaccine useful against PCV2 which includes the PCV2 propagated using such a method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: MERIAL INC.
    Inventors: Paulraj Lawrence, Frederic Dumas
  • Patent number: 9944905
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a variant polypeptide having fumarate reductase activity, which has modified NADP(H)-dependent and/or NAD(H)-dependent activity as compared with a reference polypeptide having fumarate reductase activity. Such a variant may be overexpressed in a host cell in order to improve production of a dicarboxylic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: René Marcel De Jong, Zheng Zhao, Ben Den Dulk, Remko Tsjibbe Winter
  • Patent number: 9944906
    Abstract: Described herein are compositions and methods for treating Friedreich's Ataxia (FRDA). In some aspects, mutant forms of frataxin which are resistant to ubiquitination are provided. In some aspects, pharmaceutical compositions comprising mutant frataxin are provided. In further aspects, methods of using mutant frataxin are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: FRATAGENE THERAPEUTICS S.R.L.
    Inventor: Roberto Testi
  • Patent number: 9944907
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to mutated genes of the LUX operon and their use in producing autoluminescent plants and bacteria exhibiting improved light output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BioGlow LLC
    Inventor: Alexander Krichevsky
  • Patent number: 9944908
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide, or a fragment thereof, capable of enhancing callose biosynthesis and/or accumulation, wherein at least one of the conserved amino acid residues selected from the group consisting of residue corresponding to R84 of SEQ ID NO: 1, residue corresponding to R1926 or SEQ ID NO: 1 and residue corresponding to P189 of SEQ ID NO: 1, of the polypeptide or a fragment thereof, is modified by a mutation selected from the group consisting of substitution and deletion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: HELSINGIN YLIOPISTO
    Inventors: Anne Vatèn, Jan Dettmer, Shunsuke Miyashima, Shri Ram Yadav, Ana Campilho, Vincent Bulone, Raffael Lichtenberger, Satu Lehesranta, Ari Pekka Mähönen, Annelie Carlsbecker, Yrjö Helariutta, Kaori Furuta
  • Patent number: 9944909
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered transaminase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type transaminase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered transaminase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered transaminase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered transaminase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Ish K. Dhawan, Gregory Miller, Xiyun Zhang
  • Patent number: 9944910
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and formulations containing a TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein. Also disclosed are methods of producing a TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein from vectors containing a TATk-CDKL5 cDNA and methods of transducing cells with the vectors containing a TATk-CDKL5 cDNA and the TATk-CDKL5 fusion protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Alma Mater Studiorum—Università di Bologna
    Inventors: Elisabetta Ciani, Franco Laccone
  • Patent number: 9944911
    Abstract: High affinity SIRP-? reagent are provided, which (i) comprise at least one amino acid change relative to the wild-type protein; and (ii) have an increased affinity for CD47 relative to the wild-type protein. Compositions and methods are provided for modulating phagocytosis in a mammal by administering a therapeutic dose of a pharmaceutical composition comprising a high affinity SIRP? reagent, which blocks the physiological binding interaction between SIRP? and its ligand CD47.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Aaron Michael Ring, Kenan Christopher Garcia, Kipp Andrew Weiskopf, Aron M. Levin, Irving L. Weissman
  • Patent number: 9944912
    Abstract: Engineered CRISPR-Cas9 nucleases with altered and improved PAM specificities and their use in genomic engineering, epigenomic engineering, and genome targeting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: J. Keith Joung, Benjamin Kleinstiver
  • Patent number: 9944913
    Abstract: The present invention relates to variants of a parent glucoamylase having altered properties (e.g., improved thermostability and/or specific activity). In particular, the present invention provides compositions comprising the variant glucoamylases, including starch hydrolyzing compositions, animal feed compositions and cleaning compositions. The invention also relates to DNA constructs encoding the variants and methods of producing the glucoamylase variants in host cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Danisco US Inc.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Aehle, Piet Van Solingen, Martijn Scheffers, Richard Bott
  • Patent number: 9944914
    Abstract: A method for selectively obtaining a natural variant of an enzyme having activity includes (1) a step of detecting an ORF sequence of a protein having enzyme activity from a genome database including base sequences of metagenomic DNA of environmental microbiota; (2) a step of obtaining at least one PCR clone including the ORF sequence having a full length, a partial sequence of the ORF sequence, or a base sequence encoding an amino acid sequence which is formed by deletion, substitution, or addition of at least one amino acid residue in an amino acid sequence encoded by the ORF sequence, by performing PCR cloning on at least one metagenomic DNA of the environmental microbiota by using a primer designed based on the ORF sequence; (3) a step of determining a base sequence and an amino acid sequence which is encoded by the base sequence for each PCR clone obtained in the step (2); and (4) a step of selecting a natural variant of an enzyme having activity by measuring enzyme activity of proteins encoded by each P
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Migiwa Suda, Jiro Okuma, Asuka Yamaguchi, Yoshitsugu Hirose, Yasuhiro Kondo
  • Patent number: 9944915
    Abstract: A cellulase having improved thermostability is disclosed. The cellulase comprises a modified amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the modification is adding a cysteine in N terminal and adding a glycine and a cysteine or adding a proline and a cysteine in C terminal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: DONGGUAN APAC BIOTECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Rey-Ting Guo, Ya-Shan Cheng, Jian-Wen Huang, Tzu-Hui Wu, Hui-Lin Lai, Cheng-Yen Lin, Tsung-Yu Ko
  • Patent number: 9944916
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to engineered penicillin G acylase (PGA) enzymes having improved properties, polynucleotides encoding such enzymes, compositions including the enzymes, and methods of using the enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Goutami Banerjee, Jie Yang, Xiyun Zhang, Erika M. Milczek, Melissa Ann Mayo, Stephan Jenne
  • Patent number: 9944917
    Abstract: A novel method for processing soluble plant leaf proteins is described. While leaf proteins are considered potentially the most abundant source of protein in nature, the lack of efficient processing techniques for leaf proteins has limited their commercial use. The method described in this patent provides a means of extracting and purifying leaf proteins from plants which is suitable for leaf protein production on an industrial scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: University of Maryland, College Park
    Inventors: Yangming Martin Lo, Hong Fu
  • Patent number: 9944918
    Abstract: Synthetic polynucleotides encoding human methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (synMUT) and exhibiting augmented expression in cell culture and/or in a subject are described herein. An adeno-associated viral (AAV) gene therapy vector encoding synMUT under the control of a liver-specific promoter (AAV2/8-HCR-hAAT-synMUT-RBG) successfully rescued the neonatal lethal phenotype displayed by methylmalonyl-CoA mutase-deficient mice, lowered circulating methylmalonic acid levels in the treated animals, and resulted in prolonged hepatic expression of the product of synMUT transgene in vivo, human methylmalonyl-CoA mutase (MUT).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Dept. of Health & Human Services
    Inventors: Charles P. Venditti, Randy J. Chandler
  • Patent number: 9944919
    Abstract: Described herein are compounds and methods for tethering proteins. For example, dimers of proteins, including SOD1 and DJ-1, are described, where the dimers are formed by the covalent bonding of a cysteine on the first monomer to a cysteine on the second monomer via a cyclic disulfide linker. The covalently attached dimers exhibit increased stabilization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Brandeis University
    Inventors: Jeffrey N. Agar, Joseph Salisbury
  • Patent number: 9944920
    Abstract: The present application discloses immobilized enzymes and immobilized enzyme materials comprising a crosslinked enzyme having a support material which includes a biomass material different than the biomass used to initially derive the enzyme. Optionally, the immobilized enzyme further includes a polymeric material and/or the biomass which was used to initially derive the enzyme. The resulting immobilized enzyme materials may be biodegradable. The present application also discloses methods of making and using the disclosed immobilized enzyme materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Guild Associates, Inc.
    Inventors: Augustine A. DiNovo, Dominic P. DiNovo, David A. Schofield, Matthew F. Smiechowski, Francis H. Verhoff
  • Patent number: 9944921
    Abstract: Compositions and techniques for the extraction, enrichment and isolation of nucleic acids from cellular source material using an ammonium hydroxide-based solution are disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Abbott Molecular Inc.
    Inventor: Gerard J. Gundling
  • Patent number: 9944922
    Abstract: Highly simplified lateral flow chromatographic nucleic acid sample preparation methods, devices, and integrated systems are provided for the efficient concentration of trace samples and the removal of nucleic acid amplification inhibitors. Methods for capturing and reducing inhibitors of nucleic acid amplification reactions, such as humic acid, using polyvinylpyrrolidone treated elements of the lateral flow device are also provided. Further provided are passive fluid control methods and systems for use in lateral flow assays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Los Alamos National Security, LLC
    Inventor: Robert B. Cary
  • Patent number: 9944923
    Abstract: Methods for construction of DNA origami nanostructures, as well as for binding, isolation, linking, and deep sequencing information, such as both of TCR alpha and beta CDR3 mRNA, from individual cells within a mixed population of cells without the need for single cell sorting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents on Behalf of Arizona State University
    Inventors: Joseph Blattman, Hao Yan, Louis Schoettle, Xixi Wei
  • Patent number: 9944924
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of molecular biology and more specifically to methods for capturing and amplifying target polynucleotides on a solid surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: ILLUMINA, INC., ILLUMINA CAMBRIDGE LIMITED
    Inventors: Roberto Rigatti, Niall Anthony Gormley, Allen E. Eckhardt, Jonathan Mark Boutell
  • Patent number: 9944925
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for genomic engineering.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: ENEVOLV, INC.
    Inventors: Jay H. Konieczka, James E. Spoonamore, Ilan N. Wapinski, Farren J. Isaacs, Gregory B. Foley
  • Patent number: 9944926
    Abstract: The invention relates to the use of an antisense compound for inducing exon inclusion as a treatment for Spinal Muscle Atrophy (SMA). More particularly it relates to inducing inclusion of exon 7 to restore levels of Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein encoded by the Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Sarepta Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Linsley, Brian James Leppert
  • Patent number: 9944927
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for modulating cell senescence and cell proliferation using isoforms of the p53 tumor suppressor protein. The methods and compositions of the invention find use in inhibiting cancer cell growth or in generating populations of cells for tissue regeneration through the modulation of cell senescence and proliferation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary, Department of Health and Human Services, The University of Dundee, Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute
    Inventors: Curtis C. Harris, Kaori Fujita, Izumi Horikawa, Borivoj Vojtesek, Jean-Christophe Bourdon, David P. Lane
  • Patent number: 9944928
    Abstract: The present invention provides a PCR based high-throughput method for preparing full-sites siRNA polynucleotide pool, comprising: DNase I random digestion; Loop-1 phosphate linker ligation; single PCR amplification; a type III restriction/modification enzyme digestion; blunt ending; Loop-2 phosphate linker ligation; double primer PCR; FokI digestion and cloning into an siRNA expression vector. The present invention enables the use of a type III restriction/modification enzyme linkers mediated PCR method for high-throughput preparing an siRINA polynucleotide pool, in which the functional length of siRNAs can be controllably distributed from 19-23 bp, thus completely mimic the natural siRNA length diversity, specially suitable for RNAi therapeutic targets screening. The present invention overcomes the bottlenecks and drawbacks of conventional siRNA polynucleotide pool construction technologies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: York Yuan Yuan Zhu
    Inventor: York Yuan Yuan Zhu
  • Patent number: 9944929
    Abstract: This invention provides UNA single-stranded oligomers for therapeutics. The UNA oligomers can be composed of one or more 2?-3?-seco-nucleomonomers and one or more natural or non-natural nucleotide monomers. Embodiments include UNA oligomers with phosphorothioate or boranophosphate intermonomer linkages. The UNA oligomers can be used for therapeutics that target oligonucleotides, nucleic acids, or RNAs to reduce their activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Arcturus Therapeutics, Inc.
    Inventor: Jesper Wengel
  • Patent number: 9944930
    Abstract: The present invention provides short activating RNA molecules which up-regulate albumin production. The present invention also provides methods of up-regulating albumin production, such methods involving the use of short activating RNA molecules capable of increasing the expression of albumin. The present invention also provides the use of the short activating RNA molecules in therapy, such as treating or preventing a hyperproliferative disorder and/or a disorder characterised by hypoalbuminemia.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: MINA THERAPEUTICS LIMITED
    Inventor: Pål Sætrom
  • Patent number: 9944931
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides, in part, methods of discovering immunotherapy targets in vivo, therapeutic compositions (e.g., shRNA, immunoresponsive cells expressing shRNA and/or a chimeric antigen receptors (CAR)), and methods of use thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Inc., The General Hospital Corporation
    Inventors: Kai W. Wucherpfennig, Glenn Dranoff, Penghui Zhou, Donald Shaffer, Nir Hacohen, Harvey I. Cantor, Diana Alvarez Arias
  • Patent number: 9944932
    Abstract: The invention relates to the diagnostic and therapeutic uses of a miRNA molecule or an equivalent thereof wherein a source of said miRNA molecule or equivalent thereof comprises at least 80 nucleotides and comprises a motif having at least 98% identity with the motif represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or a source thereof in a disease and condition associated with EMT (Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNA TECHNOLOGIES B.V.
    Inventors: Roeland Quirinus Jozef Schaapveld, Gerardus Wilhelmus Christiaan Theodoor Verhaegh, Jacobus Antonius Schalken, Andreas Alphons Franciscus Ludovicus van Puijenbroek, Willemijn Maria Gommans, Sanne Weijzen
  • Patent number: 9944933
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for modifying genetic material are provided. One embodiment provides aptamers capable of binding to a site-specific DNA binding moiety to facilitate the exchange of homologous genetic information between a donor molecule and the desired target locus (aptamer-guided gene targeting or AGT). One embodiment provides an oligonucleotide containing a aptamer, preferably a DNA aptamer at the 5? end. The oligonucleotide also contains a region of homology, also referred to as donor DNA, to a desired nucleic acid, locus, or gene. The DNA binding moiety can be a nucleic acid, a protein, or a complex of proteins. In a preferred embodiment the DNA binding moiety is a homing endonuclease that cuts DNA to facilitate the modification of the DNA by the donor DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Francesca Storici, Patrick Ruff
  • Patent number: 9944934
    Abstract: Compositions and methods for the inducible expression of genes in eukaryotic cells are provided. Expression of a nucleotide sequence of interest encoding a protein of interest is controlled by a regulatory fusion protein that consists of a transcription blocking domain and a ligand-binding domain. When a cognate ligand for the ligand-binding domain is present, transcription of the nucleotide sequence of interest is blocked. Upon removal of the cognate ligand, the nucleotide sequence of interest is transcribed. The method is useful for large scale bioreactor production of a desired protein of interest in eukaryotic cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
    Inventors: Gang Chen, Changlin Dou, James P. Fandl
  • Patent number: 9944935
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of developing gene inserts that are more compatible with the host vectors by modifying a protein sequence to lessen potential interference with vector propagation while ensuring that the protein is expressed and processed efficiently and maintains desired structural features, and designing a gene with a nucleotide sequence that resembles the base composition of the host vector genome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL AIDS VACCINE INITIATIVE
    Inventors: Christopher L. Parks, Kevin J. Wright, Maoli Yuan, Christy K. Jurgens, Xinsheng Zhang, Arban Domi, Simon Hoffenberg, Maria J. Chiuchiolo, Svetlana Rabinovich, Aaron J. Wilson, Ivo C. Lorenz
  • Patent number: 9944936
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an Agrobacterium having improved gene transfer efficiency. The present invention provides a transformed Agrobacterium which harbors a foreign GABA transaminase gene and exhibits improved gene transfer efficiency, and a method for producing a transformed plant using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF TSUKUBA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Ezura, Koji Nakamura, Satoko Nonaka, Tatsuhiko Someya, Sha Zhou
  • Patent number: 9944937
    Abstract: An enhanced globulin-1 regulatory region is shown, a nucleotide sequence of which includes at least one additional copy of a region of the globulin-1 regulatory region which includes at least one transcriptional factor binding domain, combined with a transcription initiation site and translation start site. The promoter provides improved seed preferred, and particularly embryo preferred expression in plants. Methods of use are also shown in preferentially expressing a heterologous protein to the embryo tissue of a plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Applied Biotechnology Institute, Inc.
    Inventors: John Howard, Celine Hayden
  • Patent number: 9944938
    Abstract: The present invention provides compositions and methods for regulating expression of heterologous nucleotide sequences in a plant. Compositions include two novel promoter nucleotide sequences for the genes encoding gamma tonoplast intrinsic protein and plasma membrane intrinsic protein in soybean, as well as vectors, microorganisms, plants and plant cells comprising the promoter nucleotide sequences, or variants and fragments thereof. Methods for expressing a heterologous nucleotide sequence in a plant using the promoter sequences disclosed herein are also provided. The methods comprise stably incorporating into the genome of a plant cell a nucleotide sequence operably linked to the promoter of the present invention and regenerating a stably transformed plant that expresses the nucleotide sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Bayer CropScience LP
    Inventor: Shirong Zhang
  • Patent number: 9944939
    Abstract: The invention relates to plants that contain higher proportions of mannans. Such plants express transcription factors that increase the expression of CSLA9, a mannan synthase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Board of Trustees of Michigan State University
    Inventors: Kyung-Hwan Han, Won-Chan Kim, Ida-Barbara Reca, Kenneth Keegstra
  • Patent number: 9944940
    Abstract: The genetic basis for a recessive dwarf trait (dw) in peach (Prunus persica) was determined. Using a sequencing-based bulk-segregant mapping strategy, dw was positioned on the distal end of peach chromosome 6. At the center of the mapped locus, a SNP leading to a premature stop codon was identified within the coding region of a homolog of the Giberellic Acid (GA) receptor GID1 (GA Insensitive Dwarf 1). Silencing of GID1c in the closely related species Prunus domestica (plum) led to dwarf phenotypes with shortened internodes similar to dw/dw peaches. The degree of GID1c silencing corresponded to the degree of dwarfing. Anatomical expression studies showed that GID1c was highly expressed in all actively growing peach tissues, but more predominant in apical meristems and roots. These data establish that GID1c serves a primary role in the rapid growth and elongation of peach vegetative tissues, thus providing new methods to control tree size without impacting flower or fruit development.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Christopher D. Dardick, Ralph Scorza, Courtney A. Hollender
  • Patent number: 9944941
    Abstract: Described are methods of isolating genes involved in the process of asymmetric cell division. Further disclosed are genes isolated with this method, and their use in controlling root formation, preferably lateral root formation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: VIB VZW, UNIVERSITEIT GENT
    Inventors: Tom Beeckman, Ive De Smet, Steffen Vanneste
  • Patent number: 9944942
    Abstract: The present invention provides transgenic plants having increased tolerance to abiotic stress comprising a recombinant nucleic acid molecule, said recombinant nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence encoding miR319 operatively associated with a promoter, a nucleotide sequence that is antisense to a portion of consecutive nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence encoding PCF5, and/or a nucleotide sequence that encodes a portion of consecutive nucleotides of a nucleotide sequence encoding PCF5, which when expressed produces an antisense nucleotide sequence, wherein expression of the nucleotide sequence confers increased tolerance to abiotic stress. Also provided are methods and compositions for making said transgenic plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: CLEMSON UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hong Luo, Dayong Li, Man Zhou, Qian Hu
  • Patent number: 9944943
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method of producing transgenic plants that over-express the chickpea protein, CaSUN1, expression of which enhances the stress tolerance of the transgenic plants. The disclosure further provides recombinant DNA constructs, recombinant DNA vectors, and recombinant host cells comprising the cDNA encoding CaSUN1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: National Institute of Plant Genome Research
    Inventors: Niranjan Chakraborty, Subhra Chakraborty, Dinesh Kumar Jaiswal, Poonam Mishra, Pratigya Subba, Divya Rathi
  • Patent number: 9944944
    Abstract: This invention includes a novel aad-12 transformation event for herbicide tolerance in soybean plants—referred to herein as pDAB4468-0416. This invention includes a heterologous polynucleotide inserted into a specific site within the genome of a soybean cell. In some embodiments, said event/polynucleotide can be “stacked” with other traits, including, for example, other herbicide tolerance gene(s) and/or insect-inhibitory proteins. Additionally, the subject invention provides assays for detecting the presence of the subject event in a sample (a soybean, for example). The assays can be based on the DNA sequence of the recombinant construct, inserted into the soybean genome, and on the genomic sequences flanking the insertion site. Kits and conditions useful in conducting the assays are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Dow AgroSciences LLC
    Inventors: Yunxing C. Cui, Thomas Hoffman, Ning Zhou, Gregory J. Gilles, Terry R. Wright, Julissa Colon, Ricardo A. Barnes, Nathan J. VanOpdorp, Yonghe Bai
  • Patent number: 9944945
    Abstract: The present invention provides for soybean plant and seed comprising transformation event MON89788 and DNA molecules unique to these events. The invention also provides methods for detecting the presence of these DNA molecules in a sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Marianne Malven, Jennifer Rinehart, Nancy Taylor, Ellen Dickinson
  • Patent number: 9944946
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of increasing resistance against fungal pathogens of the order Pucciniales, preferably the family Phacopsoraceae, in plants and/or plant cells. This is achieved by increasing the expression of an HCP4 protein or fragment thereof in a plant, plant part and/or plant cell in comparison to wild type plants, wild type plant parts and/or wild type plant cells. Furthermore, the invention relates to transgenic plants, plant parts, and/or plant cells having an increased resistance against fungal pathogens, in particular, pathogens of the order Pucciniales, preferably the family Phacopsoraceae, and to recombinant expression vectors comprising a sequence that is identical or homologous to a sequence encoding an HCP4 protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: BASF PLANT SCIENCE COMPANY GMBH
    Inventors: Holger Schultheiss, Ralf Flachmann
  • Patent number: 9944947
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the field of plant breeding and disease resistance. More specifically, the invention includes a method for breeding soybean plants containing quantitative trail loci (QTL) for resistance the Phytophthora root rot (PRR) caused by Phytophthora sojae. The invention further includes the use of molecular markers in the introgression of PRR resistance QTL into soybean plants.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: James Behm, Kunsheng Wu, John Tamulonis, Vergel Concibido, Jennifer L. Yates
  • Patent number: 9944948
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the prevention and/or control of infestation by insect pest species. In particular, the invention relates to down-regulation of expression of target genes in insect pests using interfering ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules. Also described are transgenic plants that (i) express or are capable of expressing interfering RNAs of the invention and (ii) are resistant to infestation by insect pest species. Compositions containing the interfering RNAs of the invention are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Devgen NV
    Inventors: Thierry Bogaert, Romaan Raemaekers, Yann Naudet
  • Patent number: 9944949
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for increasing a plant's resistance to an insect pest such as the corn rootworm are provided. Methods are provided for overexpression of Crw1, or variants thereof, in a host plant or plant cell to increase resistance to an insect pest in a plant such as maize. Moreover, methods are provided for identifying variants of Crw1 that when incorporated into a plant via transgenic or traditional breeding means increase resistance to an insect pest in a plant such as maize.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: PURDUE RESEARCH FOUNDATION, PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL
    Inventors: Dilbag S. Multani, Gurmukh S. Johal, Bala K. P. Venkata
  • Patent number: 9944950
    Abstract: A method of generating an induced progenitor population (iPP) of cells and/or induced population of cells from somatic cells, comprising the steps: a) obtaining a starting cell population, wherein cells of the starting cell population comprise, or are contacted with, a nucleic acid molecule encoding four reprogramming factors under the control of a control element, wherein the four reprogramming factors are optionally Oct4, Klf4, Sox2 and c-Myc, and wherein the control element prevents or stops expression of the reprogramming factors under its control in the absence of induction by an inducing agent; and b) transiently inducing expression of the reprogramming factors in the starting cell population to obtain an iPP, c) optionally isolating the iPP, and d) terminating the transient induction while the proliferative capacity of the iPP remains under the control of the one or more exogenous reprogramming factors to produce an induced population of cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Inventors: Thomas K. Waddell, Li Guo, Andras Nagy
  • Patent number: 9944951
    Abstract: Tumor suppressor genes play a major role in the pathogenesis of human lung cancer and other cancers. Cytogenetic and allelotyping studies of fresh tumor and tumor-derived cell lines showed that cytogenetic changes and allele loss on the short arm of chromosome 3 (3p) are most frequently involved in about 90% of small cell lung cancers and greater than 50% of non-small cell lung cancers. A group of recessive oncogenes, Fus1, 101F6, Gene 21 (NPRL2), Gene 26 (CACNA2D2), Luca 1 (HYAL1), Luca 2 (HYAL2), PL6, 123F2 (RaSSFI), SEM A3 and Beta* (BLU), as defined by homozygous deletions in lung cancers, have been located and isolated at 3p21.3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignees: Board of Regents, The University of Texas System, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Lin Ji, John Dorrance Minna, Jack Roth, Michael Lerman
  • Patent number: 9944952
    Abstract: The invention relates to an infectious arenavirus particle that is engineered to contain a genome with the ability to amplify and express its genetic information in infected cells but unable to produce further infectious progeny particles in normal, not genetically engineered cells. One or more of the four arenavirus open reading frames glycoprotein (GP), nucleoprotein (NP), matrix protein Z and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase L are removed or mutated to prevent replication in normal cells but still allowing gene expression in arenavirus vector-infected cells, and foreign genes coding for an antigen or other protein of interest or nucleic acids modulating host gene expression are expressed under control of the arenavirus promoters, internal ribosome entry sites or under control of regulatory elements that can be read by the viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, cellular RNA polymerase I, RNA polymerase II or RNA polymerase III.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Universität Zürich
    Inventors: Daniel D. Pinschewer, Lukas Flatz, Andreas Bergthaler, Rolf Zinkernagel
  • Patent number: 9944953
    Abstract: An expression method of active goldfish gfTP1 transposase protein comprises: constructing an expression vector comprising a gfTP1 transposase reading frame of a goldfish Tgf2 transposon, after transferred into escherichia coli Rosetta 1 (DE3), culturing an expression strain until absorbance of a bacteria solution under OD600 reaches 0.3-0.4, adding IPTG, culturing under 21-22° C. in shaking of 150-200 rpm, inducing to express soluble recombinant protein, and purifying to obtain a functionally active transposase. Also provided are an expression plasmid and the expression strain of the goldfish gfTP1 transposase protein, and a use of the strain in transgenosis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: Shanghai Ocean University
    Inventors: Shuming Zou, Xiayun Jiang, Haili Xu, Fei Hou, Luodan Cheng, Xiaodan Shen, Shouchang Deng