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Patents granted to The University of Toledo

The invention disclosed in the following patents provides a method for transforming of Gramineae with a vir+ A. tumefaciens. A seedling is inoculated with the bacterium in an area of rapid cell division, which gives rise to germ cell lines. By inoculating this area, transformation of pollen is attained.

Specific Patent Information

Patent Number Title, Independent Claims and Summary of Claims Assignee
US 5187073

  • Earliest priority – 30 June 1986
  • Filed – 13 November 1989
  • Granted – 16 February 1993
  • Expected expiry – 15 February 2010
 Title – Process for transforming Gramineae and the products thereof

Claim 1A method of producing transformed Gramineae, said method comprising:

A) making a wound in a graminaceous seedling with newly emerging radicle and stem, said wound being made in an area of the seedling containing rapidly dividing cells, wherein said area extends from the base of the scutellar node to slightly beyond the coleoptile node; and
B) inoculating the wound with vir+ A. tumefaciens.

The United States patent 5187073 claims

  • the transformation of a seedling of a Gramineae plant with vir+ A. tumefaciens in a wound located between the scutellar node and the coleoptile node

The University
of Toledo
US 6020539

  • Earliest priority – 30 June 1986
  • Filed – 27 June 1994
  • Granted – February 1 2000
  • Expected expiry – 15 February 2010
 Title – Process for transforming Gramineae and the products thereof

Claim 1
A transformed pollen grain of a Gramineae produced by a plant grown from a seedling infected with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing a vector comprising genetically-engineered T-DNA.
Claim 3
A transformed Gramineae plant derived from a seedling infected with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens which contains a vector comprising genetically-engineered T-DNA.
Claim 6
A transformed Gramineae produced by making a wound in a graminaceous seedling with newly emerged radicle and stem, the wound being made in an area of the seedling containing rapidly dividing cells, wherein said area extends from the base of the scutellar node to slightly beyond the coleoptile node; and inoculating the wound with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Claim 17
A transformed Gramineae produced by making a wound in a graminaceous seedling with newly emerged radicle and stem, the wound being made in an area of the seedling containing rapidly dividing cells, wherein said area extends from the base of the scutellar node to slightly beyond the coleoptile node; and inoculating the wound with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens; the transformed Gramineae containing a foreign gene which is an opine synthesis gene that is a nopaline synthase gene or an octopine synthase gene.
Claim 22
An Agrobacterium–mediated transformed Gramineae.
Claim 25
A transformed Gramineae plant comprising a genetically-engineered T-DNA further comprising a heterologous gene and a transcription unit in operable order.

This patent is a continuation of now abandoned US 08/016600, which is a continuation of now granted US 5187073.

Although assignment of this patent is not stated in the records provided by the International Patent Documentation Center (INPADOC) and USPTO PAIR, the patent can be licensed through the University of Toledo according to the information provided by the Office of Technology Licensing of the university.

The claims of the United States patent US 6,020,539 embrace the subject matter claimed in the United States patent US 5,187,073 and the Australian patent AU 606 874 B2 granted to the University of Toledo. That is the transformation of a Gramineae seedling in an area of high cellular division with vir+ A. tumefaciens. Transformed pollen and plants derived from the seedling inoculated with vir+ A. tumefaciens are also claimed.

United States patent US 6,020,539 further claims

  • the transformation of a Gramineae plant with a T-DNA having a foreign gene and a transcription unit;
  • either a nopaline synthase gene or an octopine synthase gene as a foreign gene;
  • the transformation of a Gramineae with Agrobacterium (claim 22).

This last, fairly broad claim does not restrict

  • the initial tissue to be transformed; any part, form or plant of a Gramineae can be used for the process;
  • the mechanism or procedure to achieve transformation with Agrobacterium; or
  • the species of Agrobacterium used to transform the Gramineae.
AU 606874 B2

  • Earliest priority – 30 June 1986
  • Filed – 30 June 1987
  • Granted – 21 February 1991
  • Expected expiry – 29 June 2007
 Title – Transformation of Gramineae and products thereof

Claim 1A method of producing transformed Gramineae, as hereinbefore defined, comprising:
A) making a wound in a seedling in an area of the seedling containing rapidly dividing cells that give rise to germ line cells; and
B) inoculating the wound with vir+ A. tumefaciens.

The Australian patent 606874 claims the transformation of a seedling with vir+ A. tumefaciens as well, but it does not specify the area where the inoculation occurs.

It claims

  • wounding of the seedling in an area that gives rise to germ cell lines;
  • transformed pollen derived from the transformed seedling having inserted foreign DNA in its cells;
  • transformed Gramineae plant derived from the seedling transformed with A. tumefaciens having a vector with engineered DNA
CA 1341455 A1

  • Earliest priority – 30 June 1986
  • Filed – 29 June 1987
  • Granted – 27 April 2004
  • Expected expiry  – 26 April 2021
 Title – Process for transforming Gramineae and the products thereof

Claim 1A method of producing transformed Gramineae comprising:
A) making a wound in a seedling in an area of the seedling containing rapidly dividing cells; and
B) inoculating the wound with vir+ A. tumefaciens.
Claim 10
A transformed pollen grain of a Gramineae.
Claim 11
A transformed pollen grain of a Gramineae produced by a plant grown from a seedling infected with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens.
Claim 12
A transformed pollen grain of a Gramineae produced by a plant grown from a seedling infected with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens which contains a vector comprising genetically-engineered T-DNA.
Claim 13
A transformed pollen grain of a Gramineae produced by a plant grown from a seedling infected with vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens which contains a vector comprising genetically-engineered T-DNA.

This patent claims

  • a method of Gramineae transformation by inoculating  vir+ Agrobacterium tumefaciens to a seedling that is wounded where the cells are rapidly dividing
  • a transformed Gramineae pollen grain (this claim is broad due to the fact that there is no limit on the method of transformation)
Remarks
  1. A corresponding patent and its divisional patent has been granted in Japan (JP 2693443 and JP 3234534 respectively).
  2. A continuation of now granted US 6020539 (US 2002-0002711 A1) has been abandoned.

Note: Patent information on this page was last updated on 14 February 2006.