IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,203,083
Granted Patent B2
US 12,203,083 · App. 18/169,601 · Granted Jan 21, 2025

Programmable epigenetic control of gene expression in plants

Inventors: Travis Bayer (Emeryville, CA); Kevin L. Schneider (Emeryville, CA); Aden Kinne (Emeryville, CA); Jennifer Adele Samson (Emeryville, CA); Itxaso Garay (Emeryville, CA)
Assignee: DECIBEL BIO, INC
C12N15/8218C12N15/825C12N15/8262C12N15/8297C12N15/8298
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,203,083
App. No.
18/169,601
Granted
Jan 21, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed herein are artificially synthesized nucleic acid constructs to guide an epigenetic modification for at least partially silencing or activating a target gene in an organism such as a plant or seed, and formulations thereof. Also disclosed are methods of applying such nucleic acid constructs to the plant or to the seed. Also disclosed are engineered seeds and plants obtained by the epigenetic modification.

Claims (15)

1. A double stranded artificial nucleic acid construct comprising (a) a first strand and a second strand each having a length of 20 to 30 nucleotides or nucleosides or a combination thereof; and (b) a terminal end overhang at one or both of a 3′ end of the first strand or a 3′ end of the second strand; wherein one or both of the 3′ terminal end overhangs comprise a ribose unit having a methoxy group (—O-Me) at a 2′ position; and

wherein at least 80% of the sugars in the double stranded artificial nucleic acid construct comprises a deoxyribose, and wherein the nucleic acid construct does not comprise a regulatory element.

2. The construct of claim 1 , wherein both the 3′ end of the first strand and the 3′ end of the second strand comprise terminal end overhangs.

3. The construct of claim 1 , wherein one strand of the double stranded artificial nucleic acid construct comprises at least 80% sequence identity to a portion of a transcription regulatory region of a gene of an agricultural object.

4. The construct of claim 2 , wherein both of the 3′ terminal end overhangs comprise a ribose unit having a methoxy group (—O-Me) at a 2′ position.

5. The construct of claim 3 , wherein the transcription regulatory region is a transcription start site, a TATA box, or an upstream activating sequence.

6. The construct of claim 1 , wherein one or both of the terminal end overhangs is one nucleotide long.

7. The construct of claim 5 , wherein the portion of the transcription regulatory region comprises at least 30% guanine cytosine (GC) content.

8. The construct of claim 4 , wherein both terminal end overhangs are one nucleotide long.

9. The construct of claim 1 , wherein every sugar in the double stranded artificial nucleic construct is a deoxyribose except for the terminal 3′ sugar of the first strand and the second strand.

10. The construct of claim 4 , wherein every sugar in the double stranded artificial nucleic construct is a deoxyribose except for the terminal 3′ sugar of the first strand and the second strand.

11. The construct of claim 10 , wherein the first strand and the second strand each have a length of 24 nucleotides.

12. A formulation comprising the double-stranded artificial nucleic acid construct of claim 1 and an excipient.

13. The formulation of claim 12 , wherein the formulation comprises an excipient and a plurality of double stranded artificial nucleic acid constructs.

14. The formulation of claim 12 , wherein the excipient is water.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 7, 2024
From: SOUND AGRICULTURE COMPANY
To: DECIBEL BIO, INC.
Reel/Frame 069181/0449 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 21, 2023
From: BAYER, TRAVIS; SCHNEIDER, KEVIN L.; KINNE, ADEN; SAMSON, JENNIFER ADELE; GARAY, ITXASO
To: SOUND AGRICULTURE COMPANY
Reel/Frame 062753/0878 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation 17476097 · Sep 15, 2021
Continuation PCTUS2020023391 · Mar 18, 2020
Provisional Application 62820172 · Mar 18, 2019
Related Publication 20230304028A1 · Sep 28, 2023
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