# US 6,720,479 B1 · Plant retroelements and methods related thereto > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,720,479 B1 - Document ID: US6720479B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 09/586,106 - Filed: 2000-06-02 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 1998-05-29 - Assignees: Iowa State University Research Foundation, Inc. - Inventors: David A. Wright; Daniel F. Voytas - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6720479B1 ## CPC - C07K 14/415: from plants - C12N 15/8202: {by biological means, e.g. cell mediated or natural vector} - C12N 15/8203: {Virus mediated transformation} - C12N 15/86: Viral vectors - C12N 2740/10022: New viral proteins or individual genes, new structural or functional aspects of known viral proteins or genes - C12N 2740/10043: viral genome or elements thereof as genetic vector - C07K: PEPTIDES (peptides in foodstuffs A23; obtaining protein compositions for foodstuffs, working-up proteins for foodstuffs A23J; preparations for medicinal purposes A61K; peptides containing beta-lactam rings C07D; cyclic dipeptides not having in their molecule any other peptide link than those which form their ring, e.g. piperazine-2,5-diones, C07D; ergot alkaloids of the cyclic peptide type C07D519/02; macromolecular compounds having statistically distributed amino acid units in their molecules, i.e. when the preparation does not provide for a specific; but for a random sequence of the amino acid units, homopolyamides and block copolyamides derived from amino acids C08G69/00; macromolecular products derived from proteins C08H1/00; preparation of glue or gelatine C09H; single cell proteins, enzymes C12N; genetic engineering processes for obtaining peptides C12N15/00; compositions for measuring or testing processes involving enzymes C12Q; investigation or analysis of biological material G01N33/00) - C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00) ## Abstract The present invention provides plant retroelements useful as molecular tools. In one embodiment, the present invention provides nucleic acids encoding gag, pol and/or env genes of plant retroelements. The elements can be used, among other uses, as building blocks of other constructs, tools to find other nucleic acid sequences and tools to transfer nucleic acid into cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of: (a) the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62; (b) a sequence encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63; and (c) a sequence fully complementary to (a) or (b). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A transformed seed containing a recombinant construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A transformed plant containing a recombinant construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 1. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, which further comprises at least one nucleic acid sequence which encodes at least one agronomically-significant characteristic. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said nucleic acid molecule encodes a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:63. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein a pol coding sequence comprises said nucleic acid. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1, wherein said nucleotide sequence is the sequence set forth in SEQ ID NO:62. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 6, said nucleic acid further comprising a gag coding sequence and an env coding sequence, wherein adenine-thymidine-guanidine is the gag coding sequence start codon. ### Claim 9 (depends on 3) The plant of claim 3, which plant is selected from the group consisting of: soybean; maize; sugar cane; beet; tobacco; wheat; barley; poppy; rape; sunflower; alfalfa; sorghum; rose; carnation; gerbera; carrot; tomato; lettuce; chicory; pepper; melon; cabbage; oat; rye; cotton; flax; potato; pine; walnut; citrus; hemp; oak; nice; penmia; orchids; Arabidopsis; broccoli; cauliflower; brussel sprouts; onion; garlic; leek; squash; pumpkin; celery; pea; bean; strawberries; grapes; apples; pears; peaches; banana; palm; cocoa; cucumber; pineapple; apricot; plum; sugar beet; lawn grasses; maple; triticale; safflower; peanut; and olive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 4) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 4, wherein the agronomically-significant characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: male sterility; self-incompatibility; foreign organism resistance; improved biosynthetic pathways; environmental tolerance; photosynthetic pathways; and nutrient content. ### Claim 11 (depends on 4) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 4, wherein the agronomically-significant characteristic is selected from the group consisting of: fruit ripening; oil biosynthesis; pigment biosynthesis; seed formation; starch metabolism; salt tolerance; cold/frost tolerance; drought tolerance; tolerance to anaerobic conditions; protein content; carbohydrate content (including sugars and starches); amino acid content; and fatty acid content. ### Claim 12 (depends on 5) A transformed seed containing a recombinant construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 5. ### Claim 13 (depends on 5) A transformed plant containing a recombinant construct comprising the nucleic acid of claim 5. ### Claim 14 (depends on 5) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 5, wherein a pol coding sequence comprises said nucleic acid. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The nucleic acid molecule of claim 14, said nucleic acid further comprising a gag coding sequence and an env coding sequence, wherein adenine-thymidine-guanidine is the gag coding sequence start codon.