Title: Episomal DNA vectors for plant genetic engineering

Abstract

This disclosure pertains to a novel platform for genetic engineering of chloroplasts. The disclosure provides episomal DNA vectors containing a chloroplast origin of replication. These vectors remain extra-plastomic and sustainably and autonomously replicate in chloroplasts of the plant cells transformed with the vectors and in the plants regenerated from the transformed plant cells. The episomal DNA vectors do not contain any sequence that shares sequence homology with the plastome DNA and, thus, do not get integrated into the plastome DNA. The vectors can also comprise one or more genes of interest that confer desirable characteristics to the transformed plant cells. The disclosure also provides methods of transforming plant cells with the episomal DNA vectors and regenerating from the transformed plant cells plants having desirable characteristics. The vectors and methods disclosed herein provide a significant advancement in speed, flexibility, and prospects of introducing genes into plant cells for effective metabolic engineering.

Inventors:

Lenaghan, Scott C.; Occhialini, Alessandro; Pfotenhauer, Alexander C.; Piatek, Agnieszka; Stewart, Jr., C. Neal

Issue Date:

Tue Jan 10 00:00:00 EST 2023

Research Org.:

Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy (ARPA-E); Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)

OSTI Identifier:

1987011

Patent Number(s):

11549121

Application Number:

16/595,887

Assignee:

University of Tennessee Research Foundation (Knoxville, TN)

DOE Contract Number:  

AR0000660; D17AC00016

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 10/08/2019

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English