US 2009/0239285 A1 · TANDEM REAPEAT DNA CONSTRUCTS PRODUCING PROTEINS THAT ATTACK PLANT PATHOGENIC VIRUSES, FUNGI, AND BACTERIA BY DISRUPTING TRANSCRIPTION FACTORS ESSENTIAL FOR REPLICATION THEREOF IN PLANTS

Abstract

Methods and compositions reduce growth of Geminiviruses employing a compound with the following structure: or a pharmaceutical salt. The invention inactivates viruses by attacking the zinc finger domain in plants through Picolinic Acid (PA) and then ejecting the Zn2+ from the zinc finger proteins (ZFPs). The PA and derivatives control viruses containing essential ZFPs. A Tandem Repeated Sequence (TRS) technology, denoted the Cassette TRS construct method, produces syngenic plants with increased virus resistance. This technology incorporates into the plant genome tandem repeated stable DNA coding for enzymes that produce PA or derivatives. The increased production of PA, induced by a TRS viral protein promoter present in the Cassette TRS construct, disrupts the viral ZFPs for replication. The syngenic plants with the cassette TRS construct are genetically stable, flower and seed producing, and capable of producing new TRS syngenic plants. The syngenic plants, in the environment like wild plants, remain edible.

Claims58

Dependent claims

A combination of promoters for use with genes, said combination of promoters further comprising:

constitutive, inducible, tissue-specific, inducible by hormones such as steroid or thyroid hormones, inducible by chelated transition metal ions such as copper, unmodified native promoters, synthetic minimal promoters belonging to any of the categories enumerated above or minimal promoters such as TATA box, may be used to control plant viral pathogen expression.

A composition of matter, generally of a virus comprising:

pathogenic plant viruses such as Geminiviruses, when infecting cells, will introduce and released a series of early and late viral transcription factors(s) into the plant nucleus which will bind to numerous synthetic cassette units, dispersed through the chromosomes and containing a viral inducible promoter sequence(s) in tandem repeats units follow by:
(a) a DNA sequence encoding the first death gene (PAC);
(b) a second death gene preceded by a viral inducible promoter sequence(s) in tandem repeat units;
and (c) additional death genes, preceded by a tandem repeat viral inducible promoter sequence(s).

1 more element

A DNA cassette construct further comprising:

gene components of said cassette being designed to generate plants resistant to viruses which dependent on viral protein transcription factors for replication including:
said genes must exist as multiple adjacent copies and are said to be in tandemly repeated units;
the extensive repetition of genes reflects the requirement to produce large amounts of the protein product;
the repeating unit with a specific sequence is identical to all the other tandem repeat units;
the transcription unit produces the protein while the non-transcribed spacers are the silent regions that separate the identical transcribing units;
the tandem repeated cluster produces the mRNA encoded by the transcription unit in large quantities;
the DNA sequence of the tandem repeated promoter of the plant genomic tandem repeated gene, specifically recognizes the viral transcription factor protein(s) synthesized during early and late viral infection;
the large overproduction of viral transcriptional proteins that activate the plant genomic cassette viral promoter of the gene of interest (first, second, and third genes) is a characteristic of this system;
and,
a single class of tandemly repeated cluster lack introns.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

12/051,096Filed 19 Mar 2008

Published

24 Sep 2009

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

C12N 15/8283
For biotic stress resistance, pathogen resistance, disease resistance: for virus resistance
C12N 9/88
Enzymes; Proenzymes; Compositions thereof ; Processes for preparing, activating, inhibiting, separating or purifying enzymes: lyases
C12N 15/8217
Methods for controlling, regulating or enhancing expression of transgenes in plant cells: gene switch
C12N 15/8238
Externally regulated expression systems: chemically inducible, e.g. tetracycline

Tandem reapeat dna constructs producing proteins that attack plant pathogenic viruses, fungi, and bacteria by disrupting transcription factors essential for replication thereof in plants

Life of this patent

Tandem reapeat dna constructs producing proteins that attack plant pathogenic viruses, fungi, and bacteria by disrupting transcription factors essential for replication thereof in plants

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims58