Plant Bioscience Limited

Axis Genetics Plc

The Dow Chemical Company

Purdue Research Foundation

Cornell Research Foundation Inc.

George Peter Lomonossoff

John Emil Johnson

Frank Sainsbury

Milton Zaitlin

Daniel Golemboski

Marc-Andre D'Aoust

Louis-Philippe Vezina

Mary M Bendig

Tim Jones

Li Liu

Marian Longstaff

Carmen Canizares

The invention is based on an expression enhancer sequence derived from the RNA-2 genome segment of a bipartite RNA virus, in which a target initiation site in the RNA-2 genome segment has been mutated. Deletion of appropriate start codons upstream of the main RNA2 translation initiation can greatly increase in foreign protein accumulation without the need for viral replication. Also provided are methods, vectors and systems, including the 'hyper-translatable' Cowpea Mosaic Virus ('CPMV-HT') based protein expression system.

Protein expression systems

The inventions is based on an expression enhancer sequence derived from the RNA-2 genome segment of a bipartite RNA virus, in which a target initiation site in the RNA-2 genome segment has been mutated. Deletion of appropriate start codons upstream of the main RNA2 translation initiation can greatly increase in foreign protein accumulation without the need for viral replication. Also provided are methods, vectors and systems, including the 'hyper-translatable' Cowpea Mosaic Virus ('CPMV-HT') based protein expression system.

Protein expression system

This invention comprises a combined transgene/virus vector system for the expression of heterologous proteins in plants. While exemplified with respect to the bipartite RNA plant virus, Cowpect mosaic virus (CPMV), other bipartite viral systems may be used to advantage according to the method, system and composition described in detail herein.

Bipartite system, method and composition for the constitutive and inducible expression of high levels of foreign proteins in plants

The invention relates to assembled particles of a plant virus containing a predetermined foreign peptide as part of the coat protein of the virus, and a method for their production. The foreign peptide is preferably a biologically functional peptide, the biological application of which requires or is enhanced by presentation of the peptide in association with a larger molecule or particle.

Modified plant viruses as vectors

The invention relates to assembled particles of a plant virus containing a foreign peptide insert in the coat protein of the virus. The site of the insert is preferably free from direct sequence repeats flanking the insert. The invention relates to a method of production of the particles and their use, in particular in vaccines.

Modified plant viruses as vectors of heterologous peptides

The invention described herein discloses a virus-induced resistance that may be transferred from one plant generation to another in which transgenic plants containing a coding sequence, taken from the read-through portion of the replicase portion of the viral genome, are resistant to subsequent disease by the virus. The use of the 54 kDa coding sequence from TMV is described as a specific example of the broader technology. Thus, the invention defines a means for bringing about viral resistance in plants which have been transformed with nucleic acid copies of fragments or segments taken from the replicase portion of the pathogenic virus genome. In addition, the present invention defines transformed plants and their seeds which carry a portion of the viral genome which encodes for a portion of the read-through portion of the replicase genome of the pathogenic virus.

Induction of resistance to virus diseases by transformation of plants with a plant virus replicase gene

The invention described herein discloses a virus-induced resistance that may be transferred from one plant generation to another in which transgenic plants containing a coding sequence, taken from the read-through portion of the replicase portion of the viral genome, are resistant to subsequent disease by the virus. The use of the 54 kDa coding sequence from TMV is described as a specific example of the broader technology. Thus, the invention defines a means for bringing about viral resistance in plants which have been transformed with nucleic acid copies of fragments or segments taken from the replicase portion of the pathogenic virus genome. In addition, the present invention defines transformed plants and their seeds which carry a portion of the viral genome which codes for a portion of the read-through portion of the replicase genome of the pathogenic virus.

Growing community of inventors

Norwich, United Kingdom

George Peter Lomonossoff