Claims for Patent: 5,859,331

Summary for Patent: 5,859,331

Title:	Modular promoter construct
Abstract:	A modular promoter construct is described which possesses a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene. This modular promoter construct gives rise, where appropriate together with additional regulatory DNA sequences, to a substantial increase in gene expression in plant cells.
Inventor(s):	Maas; Christoph (Cologne, DE), Schell; Jeff (Cologne, DE), Steinbiss; Hans-Henning (Much, DE)
Assignee:	Maxplanck-Gesellschaft Zur Forderung Der Wissenschaften E.V. (Gottingen, DE)
Application Number:	08/362,454
Patent Claims:	1. A modular promoter construct, comprising a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence of at least 30 bases from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene, or derivatives of this modular promoter construct which have promoter activity, wherein said promoter is not a rice actin 1 gene promoter. 2. The modular promoter construct according to claim 1, wherein said DNA sequence has the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. 3. The modular promoter construct according to claim 1, further comprising a DNA sequence from intron 1 of the maize sucrose synthase gene. 4. The modular promoter construct according to claim 3, further comprising an 18-bp OTF binding site. 5. A vector comprising a promoter construct which comprises a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence of at least 30 bases from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene, or derivatives of this modular promoter construct which have promoter activity, wherein said promoter construct is coupled to a gene which is expressed in a plant cell, and wherein said promoter is not a rice actin 1 gene promoter. 6. A plant cell which is transformed with a vector comprising a promoter construct which comprises a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence of at least 30 bases from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene, or derivatives of this modular promoter construct which have promoter activity, wherein said promoter construct is coupled to a gene which is to be expressed in a plant cell, and wherein said promoter is not a rice actin 1 gene promoter. 7. A plant or its descendants, regenerated from a plant cell comprising a promoter construct which comprises a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence of at least 30 bases from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene, or derivatives of this modular promoter construct which have promoter activity, wherein said promoter construct is coupled to a gene which is to be expressed in a plant cell, and wherein said promoter is not a rice actin 1 gene promoter. 8. A method for preparing plants having elevated gene expression, said method comprising transforming a plant cell with a vector comprising a promoter construct which comprises a promoter which is active in plant cells and a DNA sequence of at least 30 bases from exon 1 of the rice actin 1 gene, or derivatives of this modular promoter construct which have promoter activity, wherein said promoter construct is coupled to a gene which is to be expressed in a plant cell, and wherein said promoter is not a rice actin 1 gene promoter.

Details for Patent 5,859,331

Applicant	Tradename	Biologic Ingredient	Dosage Form	BLA	Approval Date	Patent No.	Expiredate
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132	06/04/1986		2016-01-12
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	For Injection	103132			2016-01-12
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.	INTRON A	interferon alfa-2b	Injection	103132			2016-01-12