# US 11,992,014 B2 · Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPN) species as a biological delivery system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,992,014 B2 - Document ID: US11992014B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/045,767 - Filed: 2019-04-14 - Published: 2021-06-24 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2018-04-15 - Assignees: The State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) (Volcani Center) - Applicants: The State of Israel, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development, Agricultural Research Organization (Aro) (Volcani Center) - Inventors: Itamar Glazer; Liora Salame; Dana Ment; Neta Morag - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11992014B2 ## CPC - A01N 63/12: Nematodes - A01N 63/22: Bacillus - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS ## Abstract Disclosed are beneficial complexes comprising entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs), binders, and external cargos, methods for preparing the same and systems comprising the same. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A complex, comprising: (a) an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), (b) a cargo composition attached to the external surface of the EPN, and (c) a binder composition that binds the external cargo composition to the external surface of the EPN wherein the cargo composition comprises a spore of a fungus, and wherein the binder composition comprises a lectin. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the EPN is selected from the group consisting of Steinernema carpocapsae (Sc), Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Hb), Heterorhabditis indica (Hi), Steinernema feltiae (Sf), Steinernema kraussei (Sk), Steinernema glaseri (Sg), Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Ph), Phasmarhabditis neopapillosa (Pn), Phasmarhabditis californica (Pc), Heterorhabditis zealandica (Hz), and Heterorhabditis megidis (Hm). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the EPN is in third-stage, infective juvenile (IJ) phase. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the cargo composition increases the pathogenicity of the EPN towards a pest. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The complex of claim 4, wherein the pest is selected from the group consisting of a Lepidoptera, a Coleoptera, a Hemiptera, a Diptera, an Orthoptera, an Acari, and a Gastropoda. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the cargo composition promotes plant viability or growth. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the binder composition comprises an agglutinin protein. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the binder composition binds to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) or to a sialic acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The complex of claim 8, wherein the binder composition binds to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) and to a sialic acid. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The complex of claim 8, wherein the binder composition binds to N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in the form of chitin. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The complex claim 1, wherein the binder composition comprises wheat germ agglutinin (WGA). ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the complex, comprises: (a) an S. carpocapsae (Sc) or a H. bacteriophora (Hb) entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), (b) a cargo composition comprising a spore of Metarhizium brunneum strain 7 (Mb7), and (c) a binder composition comprising wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) that binds the cargo composition to the EPN. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The complex of claim 1, wherein the spore of the fungus is selected from the group consisting of a spore of Metarhizium anisopliae, Metarhizium brunneum, Metarhizium robertsii, Metarhizium frigidum, Metarhizium rileyi, Metarhizium acridum, Beauveria brongniartii, Beauveria bassiana, Verticillium lecanii, and Isaria fumosorosea. ### Claim 14 A method for preparing a complex, wherein the complex comprises an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), a cargo composition attached to the external surface of the EPN, and a binder composition that binds the external cargo composition to the external surface of the EPN, the method comprising the steps of (a) incubating the EPN with the binder composition to prepare an EPN-binder complex, (b) incubating the cargo composition with the binder composition to prepare a cargo-binder complex, and (c) incubating the EPN-binder complex with the cargo-binder complex, thereby preparing the EPN-binder-cargo complex, wherein the cargo composition comprises a spore of a fungus, and wherein the binder composition comprises a lectin. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising the step of incubating the EPN with the binder composition and with the cargo composition, thereby preparing the EPN-binder-cargo complex. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising the steps of (a) incubating the EPN with the binder composition to prepare an EPN-binder complex, and (b) incubating the cargo composition with the EPN-binder complex, thereby preparing the EPN-binder-cargo complex. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising the steps of (a) incubating the cargo composition with the binder composition to prepare a cargo-binder complex, and (b) incubating the EPN with the cargo-binder complex, thereby preparing the EPN-binder-cargo complex. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, comprising the steps of (a) incubating the EPN with the binder composition to prepare an EPN-binder complex, (b) incubating the cargo composition with the binder composition to prepare a cargo-binder complex, and (c) incubating the EPN-binder complex with the cargo-binder complex, thereby preparing the EPN-binder-cargo complex. ### Claim 19 A method of killing or sustainably inhibiting a pest, comprising the step of contacting the pest with a complex comprising an entomopathogenic nematode (EPN), a cargo composition attached to the external surface of the EPN, and a binder composition that binds the external cargo composition to the external surface of the EPN, wherein the cargo composition increases the pathogenicity of the EPN towards the pest, wherein the cargo composition comprises a spore of a fungus, and wherein the binder composition comprises a lectin.