# US 12,760,313 B2 · Modified tomato plants with extended shelf life > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,313 B2 - Document ID: US12760313B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/810,517 - Filed: 2022-07-01 - Published: 2023-02-23 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-02 - Assignees: Decibel Bio, Inc - Applicants: Sound Agriculture Company - Inventors: Travis Bayer; Jennifer Samson; Eric Davidson; Shaneece Flores Gonzales; Jack Colicchio; Alex Greenlon - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760313B2 ## CPC - C12N 15/8242: {with non-agronomic quality (output) traits, e.g. for industrial processing; Value added, non-agronomic traits} - C12N 15/8216: {Methods for controlling, regulating or enhancing expression of transgenes in plant cells} - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) ## Abstract Provided herein are modified tomato plants comprising an introduced modification of genomic DNA at the SlFSR gene or a transcription regulatory region thereof. In some instances, the introduced modification is heritable. In some instances, the introduced modification is an epigenetic such as hypermethylation. Also provided are progeny plants produced from the modified tomato plants, tomato seeds and tomato fruit produced by the modified tomato plants or progeny plants. Also provided are methods of making and growing the modified tomato plant and obtaining modified tomato fruit as well as nucleic acid reagents useful in the methods. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A modified tomato plant comprising an introduced modification comprising hypermethylation of genomic DNA at a Solanum lycopersicum fruit shelf-life regulator (SlFSR) gene or a transcription regulatory region thereof, wherein the hypermethylation is within a 1 kb region upstream of the translation start site of the SlFSR gene. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the introduced modification is heritable. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the modified tomato plant has a reduced expression level of a gene product encoded by the SlFSR gene, wherein the gene product is an mRNA transcript or a protein. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The modified tomato plant of claim 3, wherein the expression level of the gene product is reduced relative to the expression level of the gene product encoded by the SlFSR gene in an unmodified tomato plant. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the modified tomato plant is of an heirloom variety. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the modified tomato plant is of a Brandywine variety. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A modified tomato plant, wherein the modified tomato plant is an offspring of the modified tomato plant of claim 1. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A modified tomato fruit produced by the modified tomato plant of claim 1. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit has an extended shelf life relative to a tomato fruit produced from an unmodified tomato plant. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit retains an increased degree of firmness relative to an unmodified tomato fruit harvested at the same time at least 7 days after harvesting. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit has increased water content relative to an unmodified tomato fruit harvested at the same time at least 7 days after harvesting. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A modified tomato seed produced by the modified tomato plant of claim 1, comprising an introduced modification comprising hypermethylation of genomic DNA at a Solanum lycopersicum fruit shelf-life regulator (SlFSR) gene or a transcription regulatory region thereof, wherein the hypermethylation is within a 1 kb region upstream of the translation start site of the SlFSR gene. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A plant produced by growing the modified tomato seed of claim 12. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method for producing a modified tomato fruit, the method comprising growing in a field or in an area of cultivation a modified tomato plant of claim 1 or a seed or seedling thereof to produce a modified tomato plant and cultivating the modified tomato plant to produce a modified tomato fruit. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the hypermethylation is within a 0.5 kb region upstream of the translation start site of the SlFSR gene. ### Claim 16 (depends on 3) The modified tomato plant of claim 3, wherein the gene product is a mRNA transcript. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The modified tomato plant of claim 3, wherein the gene product is a protein. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the modified tomato plant is of a Micro Tom variety. ### Claim 19 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit retains at least a pre-determined minimum degree of firmness for at least 14 days. ### Claim 20 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit retains at least a pre-determined minimum degree of firmness for at least 1.3 times as long as an unmodified tomato fruit. ### Claim 21 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit further comprises a coating that reduces ethylene release from the modified tomato fruit or absorbs ethylene released from the modified tomato fruit. ### Claim 22 (depends on 8) The modified tomato fruit of claim 8, wherein the modified tomato fruit is stored in a climate-controlled environment at a temperature between about 8° C. and about 24° C. ### Claim 23 (depends on 1) A plant part of the modified tomato plant of claim 1, comprising an introduced modification comprising hypermethylation of genomic DNA at a Solanum lycopersicum fruit shelf-life regulator (SlFSR) gene or a transcription regulatory region thereof, wherein the hypermethylation is within a 1 kb region upstream of the translation start site of the SlFSR gene. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The plant part of claim 23, wherein the plant part is a leaf, pollen, an ovule, a fruit, a scion, a rootstock, or a cell. ### Claim 25 (depends on 23) The plant part of claim 23, wherein the plant part is a fruit. ### Claim 26 (depends on 1) An isolated or cultured cell of the modified tomato plant of claim 1. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The isolated or cultured cell of claim 26, wherein the cell is from an embryo, a meristem, a cotyledon, a pollen, a leaf, an anther, a root, a root tip, a pistil, a flower, a seed, and/or a stalk, optionally wherein the cell is a protoplast. ### Claim 28 (depends on 26) A population of cells comprising a plurality of the isolated or cultured cells of claim 26. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) A method for growing a modified tomato plant, the method comprising growing in a field or in an area of cultivation a modified tomato plant of claim 1 or a seed or seedling thereof. ### Claim 30 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the method further comprises harvesting the modified tomato fruit from the modified tomato plant. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The modified tomato plant of claim 1, wherein the modified tomato plant comprises one or more transgenes and/or other modifications to the genome sequence that contribute to a desired phenotype to the modified tomato plant.