DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Second Action Non-Final
It is noted that this Office action is a Second Action Non-Final. The Office has reconsidered the allowable subject matter of 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, and is re-opening prosecution to make a new rejection over that limitation.
Status of Claims
The amendments received on 01/21/2026 have been entered. Claims 1-18,21,23,33-36,53-54,69-71,74,76,78, and 82-87 are pending.
Claims 10-18,21,23,33-36,53-54,69-71,74,76, and 78 remain withdrawn for being directed to a non-elected invention(s).
Claims 1 and 2 have been amended.
Claims 84-87 have been newly added.
Claims 1-9 and 82-87 are examined in this Office action.
Information Disclosure Statement
Initialed and dated copy of Applicant’s information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on
11/11/2025 is attached to the instant Office Action. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Objections and Rejections that are Withdrawn
The Objection to the Title is withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to the Title.
The 35 USC 112 Indefiniteness rejection to claims 1-9 and 82-83 has been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendments to the claims.
The 35 USC 112 Written Description rejection to claims 2-9 and 82-83 has been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to the claims. However, the 35 USC 112 Written Description rejection to claim 1 stands.
The 35 USC 112 Scope of Enablement rejection to claims 1-9 and 82-83 has been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendments to the claims.
The 35 USC 101 rejection to claims 1-9 and 82-83 has been withdrawn in light of Applicant’s amendment to the claims.
The text of those sections of Title 35, U.S. Code, not included in this action, can be found in a prior Office action.
Claim Objections
Claims 2, 82-83, and 87 are objected to because of the following informalities:
In regard to claim 2, since the (b) limitation of the claim was struck through, there is no need for the “(a)” to appear before the remaining claim limitation. It is suggested to strike through the “(a)”.
In regard to claims 82-83, both claims reference “(a) or (b)” as recited in claim 2. As stated in the objection to claim 2, there is no longer a “(b)”, and as such, there is no longer a need for an “(a)”. Thus, claims 82-83 should not recite “(a) or (b)” of claim 2.
Claim 87 is objected to under 37 CFR 1.75(c) as being in improper form because a multiple dependent claim should refer to other claims in the alternative only. Claim 87 references two sets of claims to different features (nucleic acid molecule of claim 84; expression cassette of any of claims 85-86). See MPEP § 608.01(n). Accordingly, the claim has not been further treated on the merits.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
Written Description
Claim 1 remains rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(a) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), first paragraph, as failing to comply with the written description requirement. The claim(s) contains subject matter which was not described in the specification in such a way as to reasonably convey to one skilled in the relevant art that the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the inventor(s), at the time the application was filed, had possession of the claimed invention.
The claims are broadly drawn to a nucleotide sequence comprising an R-gene encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein expression of said R-gene confers increased pathogen resistance on a plant.
Applicant has broadly claimed increased resistance to any pathogen in any plant. Applicant has reduced to practice the R-gene of SEQ ID NO: 3 operably linked to promoter prMt12344 (SEQ ID NO: 13) (construct 25845), and the R-gene of SEQ ID NO: 11 operably linked to its native RG30 promoter (SEQ ID NO: 15) (construct 25950), which both showed strong resistance (>90%) to 3 rust populations (RTP1, BRO1, and BRO3) when inserted into Glycine max plants (instant Specification, page 301, first paragraph; page 2, first paragraph). Thus, Applicant has reduced to practice increased resistance to 3 rust populations in one plant species, Glycine max.
MÄRKLE (MÄRKLE et al., 2022, Essays in Biochemistry, Vol. 66(5), pp. 551-560; included on PTO-892 dated 10/31/2025) teaches how resistance (R) genes exhibit microbe/pathogen-associated specificity. Recognition of microbe/pathogen-associated molecular patterns (M/PAMPs) at the plant cell surface is mediated by receptor-like kinases (RLK) and receptor-like proteins (RLP) known as pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). PRR signaling outcomes prevent the proliferation of most microbes on plant hosts. This kind of resistance is considered to be polygenic, as the (inter)action of several PRRs defines the resistance phenotype. Adapted pathogens secrete variable molecules, named virulence factors or effectors, into their host to promote infection. Resistance based on recognition of these specialized effectors is mediated by single-dominant genes that are historically termed resistance (R) genes. Known R genes predominantly encode nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptors (NLRs). The canonical protein domain structures of NLRs consist of a variable N-terminal domain, a central nucleotide-binding (NB) domain and C-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain (Markle, Introduction, page 551, second paragraph).
MÄRKLE further teaches that NLRs and RLPs either directly bind effectors (direct recognition) or detect effector-mediated changes to the host’s physiology (indirect recognition) for activation of downstream signaling. In some cases, domains that resemble effector host targets are integrated into NLR structures. These integrated domains (IDs) mediate direct interaction of the effector with the R gene (integrated decoy recognition) (Markle, Introduction, page 551, third paragraph).
MÄRKLE teaches that specificity of an R gene or variants of a single R gene (alleles) can be molecularly defined as the range of effectors that the resulting R gene product detects during resistance signaling activation. Previous studies have shown that NLR specificity is often mediated by the LRR domain. The N-terminal Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain has also been implicated in specificity, as well as so-called IDs (Markle, Introduction, page 551, fourth paragraph).
Given the microbe/pathogen-associated specificity of R genes, and given that there have not been an adequate number of species reduced to practice to be representative of the broad genus of pathogens and plants, there is not an adequate description to support the breadth of the claims.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim 1 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by SCHMUTZ (Schmutz et al., 2013, UniProt sequence K7KDI2_SOYBN; see IDS dated 11/11/2025).
Claim 1 recites “A polypeptide selected from:
(a) a polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 5, and further comprising a heterologous amino acid sequence attached thereto, wherein expression of the polypeptide or portion thereof in a plant confers increased pathogen resistance on the plant;
(b) an isolated polypeptide having at least 99%, at least 95%, or at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein expression of the polypeptide confers increased pathogen resistance on the plant; or
(c) a fusion polypeptide comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, or the polypeptide of (a) or (b)”.
Instant SEQ ID NO: 5 is the amino acid sequence of the protein encoded by soy rust resistance
candidate gene GtoRG30. Instant SEQ ID NO: 2 is a genomic DNA sequence of a soy rust resistance candidate gene (GtoRG30) from PI505267 encoding a protein containing Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR), nucleotide-binding site (NBS), and leucine rich-repeat (LRR) domains (herein, a "TNL" R- gene motif). The gene is syntenic to Glyma.05G165800 (Soy-william82_v2). The genomic DNA fragment has been mapped to an approximate interval of ~11.44MB - 11.46MB on chromosome 3 of G. tomentella (instant Specification, Sequence Listing, page 6).
SCHMUTZ teaches a polypeptide sequence (K7KDI2_SOYBN) having 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5 (see alignment below). The polypeptide is derived from Glycine max, located on chromosome 3. The polypeptide is annotated as a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain-containing, disease resistance protein (TIR-NBS-LRR class).
SCHMUTZ SEQUENCE K7KDI2_SOYBN ALIGNED WITH INSTANT SEQUENCE SEQ ID NO: 5
Qy 37 AMNNRKYEVFMSFRGEDTRATFTSHLYAALQNAGIIVFKDDESLPRGDQISDSLLLAIEQ 96
|||||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 6 AMNNRRYEVFMSFRGEDTRATFTSHLYAALQNAGIIVFKDDESLPRGDQISDSLLLAIEQ 65
Qy 97 SQISVVVFSTNYADSQWCLQELEKIMYCRGTIGQVVLPVFYDVDPSQVRNQTGHFGESFE 156
|||||||||||||||:|||||||||| |: ||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||:
Db 66 SQISVVVFSTNYADSRWCLQELEKIMNCKRTIGQVVLPVFYDVDPSQVRYQTGHFGESFQ 125
Qy 157 NLSNRILKDDHEKTIGEGESDKEYMKSRVFISRWRKVLREAGGISGVVVLNSRNESETIK 216
|||||||||| || :|||||||||| ||| ||||||||||| |:|||||||||||||||
Db 126 NLSNRILKDDDEKAVGEGESDKEYMMSRVLISRWRKVLREAASIAGVVVLNSRNESETIK 185
Qy 217 NIVENVTRLLDKIELPLVDNPVGVESRVQDMIELLDLNHKLPNSNDVLLLGMWGMGGIGK 276
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||| |||||||||:||||||||
Db 186 NIVENVTRLLDKIELPLVDNPVGVESRVQDMIERLDLNHKQSNSNDVLLLGIWGMGGIGK 245
Qy 277 TTIAKAIYNKIGRNFEGRSFLEQIGEHWRQDAIRFQEQLLFDIYKETKRKIHNVELGKHA 336
|||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||| |
Db 246 TTIAKAIYNKIGRNFEGRSFLEQIGELWRQDAIRFQEQLLFDIYK-TKRKIHNVELGKQA 304
Qy 337 LKERLCSKRVFLVLDDVNDVEQLSALCGSREWFGSGSRIIITTRDKHILRGDRVDKVYIM 396
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:| |
Db 305 LKERLCSKRVFLVLDDVNDVEQLSALCGSREWFGSGSRIIITTRDKHILRGDRVDKMYTM 364
Qy 397 KGMDKSESIELFSWHAFKQASPREGFTELSNNVIAYSGGLPLALTVLGCHLFDMKIIEWK 456
| ||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 365 KEMDESESIELFSWHAFKQASPREGFTELSNDVIEYSGGLPLALTVLGCHLFDMKIIEWK 424
Qy 457 AVLDKLKRIPHDQVQKKLKISYDGLSDDTERDIFLDIACFFIGMDRNDAICILNGCGLFA 516
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:||||||||||
Db 425 TVLDKLKRIPHDQVQKKLKISYDGLSDDTERDIFLDIACFFIGMDRNDAMCILNGCGLFA 484
Qy 517 ENGIRVLVERSLVTIDDKNKLGMHDLLRDMGREIIRAKSPKDLEERSRLWFNEDVIDVLS 576
||||||||||||||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|||:
Db 485 ENGIRVLVERSLVTVDDKNKLGMHDLLRDMGREIIRAKSPKDLEERSRLWFNEDVLDVLA 544
Qy 577 KKTGTKTIEGLALKLPLTNSNCFSTEAFKDMKKLRLLQLAGVQLDGDFEYLSKDLRWLCW 636
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 545 KKTGTKTIEGLALKLPLTNSNCFSTEAFKEMKKLRLLQLAGVQLDGDFEYLSKDLRWLCW 604
Qy 637 HGFPLKFIPKNFHQGSLVSIELENSNVKLVWKEPQLMEKLKILNLSHSHNLTQTPDFSNL 696
:||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 605 NGFPLKCIPKNFHQGSLVSIELENSNVKLVWKEAQLMEKLKILNLSHSHNLTQTPDFSNL 664
Qy 697 PNLEKLVLIDCPRLFEVSHTVGHLNKILMINLKDCISLRSLPKSIYKLKSLKTLILSGCL 756
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||:|||||||||||||||||
Db 665 PNLEKLVLIDCPRLFEVSHTVGHLNKILMINLKDCISLHSLPRSIYKLKSLKTLILSGCL 724
Qy 757 KIDKLEEDLEQMESLTTLIADNTAITKVPFSIVTSKSIGYISLCGYEGFSRDVFPSIIWS 816
||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||:||||||| ||||||| |
Db 725 KIDKLEEDLEQMESLMTLIADNTAITKVPFSIVTSKSIGYISMCGYEGFSCDVFPSIILS 784
Qy 817 WMSPMSSLSSHIQTFAGMSSPISVHVANNSSNNLLSIFEDIQKLRSLWVECGTKRQLSQE 876
|||||||||||||||||| ||||:|||||||:||||||||: ||||||||||||||||||
Db 785 WMSPMSSLSSHIQTFAGMPSPISLHVANNSSHNLLSIFEDLPKLRSLWVECGTKRQLSQE 844
Qy 877 RTIILDALYATNSKGLESIATTSQLPNVNASTLIECSNQVHISGSKDSLTSLLIQMGMSC 936
||||||||| ||| |||:||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 845 TTIILDALYAINSKALESVATTSQLPNVNASTLIECGNQVHISGSKDSLTSLLIQMGMSC 904
Qy 937 QIAHNLKQNILQNVNTSENGGCLLPGDSYPDWLTFHGEDSSVIFEIPQVNKRNLKTMMCH 996
|||| || ||||:||||||||||||| |||| ||| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 905 QIAHILKHKILQNMNTSENGGCLLPGDRYPDWWTFHSEDSSVIFEIPQVNKRNLKTMMCH 964
Qy 997 VHYSSPVNIATDGLKNLLVINHTKTTIQLYKSDALASLEDEEWQRVLSNIEPGNKVEIVV 1056
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|
Db 965 VHYSSPVNIATDGLKNLLVINHTKTTIQLYKSDALASLEDEEWQRVLSNIEPGNKVEIIV 1024
Qy 1057 VFGSRLTVVNKTTIYLIYEPMNEKMEHCHAPN------NGDENVCADRSISPQGEFKDDV 1110
|||||||:|||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||| ||||| | :|||||
Db 1025 VFGSRLTIVNKTTIYLIYEPMNEKMEHCHAPNKNVIVFNGDENVCNDRSIS-QVKFKDDV 1083
Qy 1111 GCVSVKRVIKCLLNKCLSCKSFTAKSEKKKSQVRLKDGERLSGQT 1155
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||:|||| |||: |||
Db 1084 GCVSVKRVIKCLLNKCLSCKSFTAKSEKMKSRVRLKGGERMLGQT 1128
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 2-9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over LIU (Liu et al., International Publication Number WO 2019/103918 A1; International Publication Date: 31 May 2019; see IDS dated 08/09/2023), in view of NCBI Reference Sequence: XM_028368933.1 (PREDICTED: Glycine soja TMV resistance protein N-like (LOC114406269), transcript variant X2, mRNA, 2019).
Claim 2 recites “A nucleic acid molecule comprising:
(a) a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5, wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably coupled to a heterologous nucleic acid sequence and expression of the nucleic acid molecule in a soybean plant confers the soybean plant with increased resistance to Asian Soy Rust (ASR) compared to a control soybean plant not comprising the nucleic acid molecule”.
LIU teaches and claims a DNA construct that comprises a promoter that functions in plant cells operably linked to a novel resistance gene; a transgenic plant that contains the DNA construct, wherein the transgenic plant is resistant to soybean pathogens, particularly Asian Soybean Rust (i.e., confers the soybean plant with increased resistance to Asian Soy Rust (ASR)) (Liu, page 2, third full paragraph); DNA constructs are made that contain various genetic elements necessary for the expression of the R-Gene coding sequence in plants. “DNA construct” refers to the heterologous genetic elements operably linked to each other (Liu, page 33, second paragraph); a nucleic acid molecule comprising a polynucleotide operably linked to a heterologous promoter (i.e., wherein said nucleotide sequence is operably coupled to a heterologous nucleic acid sequence), wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide (Liu, claim 16).
LIU does not teach a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, at least 95%, or at least 99% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5.
However, NCBI Reference Sequence: XM_028368933.1 is a Glycine soja TMV resistance protein N-like ((LOC114406269), transcript variant X2, mRNA) which encodes an amino acid sequence (XP_028224734.1) having 92.3% sequence identity with instant sequence SEQ ID NO: 5 (i.e., a nucleotide sequence encoding a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 5). The TMV resistance protein N‑like is a plant disease resistance (R) protein in the TIR‑NBS‑LRR family.
XP_028224734.1 ALIGNED WITH INSTANT SEQUENCE SEQ ID NO: 5
Qy 6 AMNNRRYEVFMSFRGEDTRATFTSHLYAALQNAGIIVFKDDESLPRGDQISGSLLLAIEQ 65
|||||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||
Db 37 AMNNRKYEVFMSFRGEDTRATFTSHLYAALQNAGIIVFKDDESLPRGDQISDSLLLAIEQ 96
Qy 66 SQISIVVFSTNYADSRWCLQELEKIMSCNRTIGQVVLPVFYDVDPSQVRYQTGPFGESFQ 125
||||:||||||||||:|||||||||| | ||||||||||||||||||| ||| |||||:
Db 97 SQISVVVFSTNYADSQWCLQELEKIMYCRGTIGQVVLPVFYDVDPSQVRNQTGHFGESFE 156
Qy 126 NLSNRILKDDDEKAVGEGEYDKEYMMSRVLISRWRKVLREAASIAGVVVLNSRNESETIK 185
|||||||||| || :|||| ||||| ||| ||||||||||| |:|||||||||||||||
Db 157 NLSNRILKDDHEKTIGEGESDKEYMKSRVFISRWRKVLREAGGISGVVVLNSRNESETIK 216
Qy 186 NVVENVTRLLDKIELPLVDNPVGVESRVQDMIELLDLNHKQSNSNDVLLLGIWGMGGIGK 245
|:|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||:||||||||
Db 217 NIVENVTRLLDKIELPLVDNPVGVESRVQDMIELLDLNHKLPNSNDVLLLGMWGMGGIGK 276
Qy 246 TTIAKAIYNKIGRNFEGRSFLEQIGELWRQDTIRFQEQLLFDIYK-TKRKIHNVELGKQA 304
|||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||| ||||||||||||| |||||||||||| |
Db 277 TTIAKAIYNKIGRNFEGRSFLEQIGEHWRQDAIRFQEQLLFDIYKETKRKIHNVELGKHA 336
Qy 305 LKERLCSKRVFLVLDDVNDVEQLSALCGSRRWFGSGSRIIITTRDKHILRGDRVDKIYTM 364
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||:| |
Db 337 LKERLCSKRVFLVLDDVNDVEQLSALCGSREWFGSGSRIIITTRDKHILRGDRVDKVYIM 396
Qy 365 KEMDESESIELFSWHAFKQASPREGFTELSNDVIEYSGGLPLALTVLGCHLFDMKIIEWK 424
| ||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|| |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 397 KGMDKSESIELFSWHAFKQASPREGFTELSNNVIAYSGGLPLALTVLGCHLFDMKIIEWK 456
Qy 425 AVLDKLKRIPHDQVQKKLKISYDGLSDDTERDIFLDIACFFIGMDRNDAMCILNGCGLFA 484
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:||||||||||
Db 457 AVLDKLKRIPHDQVQKKLKISYDGLSDDTERDIFLDIACFFIGMDRNDAICILNGCGLFA 516
Qy 485 ENGIRVLVERSLVTVDDKNKLGMHDLLRDMGREIIRAKSPKDLEERSRLWFNEDVLDVLA 544
||||||||||||||:||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|||:
Db 517 ENGIRVLVERSLVTIDDKNKLGMHDLLRDMGREIIRAKSPKDLEERSRLWFNEDVIDVLS 576
Qy 545 KKTGTKTIEGLALKLPLTNSNCFSTEAFKEMKKLRLLQLSGVQLDGDFEYLSKDLRWLCW 604
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|||||||||:||||||||||||||||||||
Db 577 KKTGTKTIEGLALKLPLTNSNCFSTEAFKDMKKLRLLQLAGVQLDGDFEYLSKDLRWLCW 636
Qy 605 NGFPLKCIPKNFHQGSLVSIELENSNVKLVWKEAQLMEKLKILNLSHSHNLTQTPDFSNL 664
:||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 637 HGFPLKFIPKNFHQGSLVSIELENSNVKLVWKEPQLMEKLKILNLSHSHNLTQTPDFSNL 696
Qy 665 PNLEKLVLIDCPRLFEVSHTVGHLNKILMINLKDCISLHSLPRSIYKLKSLKTLILSGCL 724
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||:|||||||||||||||||
Db 697 PNLEKLVLIDCPRLFEVSHTVGHLNKILMINLKDCISLRSLPKSIYKLKSLKTLILSGCL 756
Qy 725 KIDKLEEDLEQMESLMTLIADNTAITKVPFSIVTSKSIGYISMCGYEGFSCDVFPSIILS 784
||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||:||||||| ||||||| |
Db 757 KIDKLEEDLEQMESLTTLIADNTAITKVPFSIVTSKSIGYISLCGYEGFSRDVFPSIIWS 816
Qy 785 WMSPMSSLSSHIQTFAGMPSPISLHVANNSSHNLLSIFEDLPKLRSLWVDCGTKRQLSQE 844
|||||||||||||||||| ||||:|||||||:||||||||: |||||||:||||||||||
Db 817 WMSPMSSLSSHIQTFAGMSSPISVHVANNSSNNLLSIFEDIQKLRSLWVECGTKRQLSQE 876
Qy 845 TTIILDALYAINSKALESIATTSQLPNVNASTLIECGNQVHISGSKDSLTSLLIQMGMSC 904
||||||||| ||| ||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 877 RTIILDALYATNSKGLESIATTSQLPNVNASTLIECSNQVHISGSKDSLTSLLIQMGMSC 936
Qy 905 QIAH-----ILQNMNTSENGGCLLPGDSHPDWWTFHSEDSSVIFEIPQVNKRNLKTMMCH 959
|||| ||||:||||||||||||||:||| ||| |||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 937 QIAHNLKQNILQNVNTSENGGCLLPGDSYPDWLTFHGEDSSVIFEIPQVNKRNLKTMMCH 996
Qy 960 VHYSSPVNIATDGLKNLLVINHTKTTIQLYKSDALASLEDEEWQRVLSNIEPGNKVEIIV 1019
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||:|
Db 997 VHYSSPVNIATDGLKNLLVINHTKTTIQLYKSDALASLEDEEWQRVLSNIEPGNKVEIVV 1056
Qy 1020 VFGSRLTIVNKTTIYLIYEPMNEKMEHCHAPNKNVIVFNGDENVCNDRSIS-QVKFKDDV 1078
|||||||:|||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||| ||||| | :|||||
Db 1057 VFGSRLTVVNKTTIYLIYEPMNEKMEHCHAPN------NGDENVCADRSISPQGEFKDDV 1110
Qy 1079 GCVSVKRVIKCLLNKCLSCKSFTAKSEKKKS 1109
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1111 GCVSVKRVIKCLLNKCLSCKSFTAKSEKKKS 1141
At the time the instant application was filed, it would have been obvious and within the scope of one of ordinary skill in the art to use the DNA construct teachings of LIU, together with NCBI Reference Sequence: XM_028368933.1, to confer increased resistance to Asian Soy Rust on a soybean plant. One would have been motivated to follow the teachings of LIU knowing that the Glycine soja TMV resistance protein N-like is a plant disease resistance (R) protein in the TIR‑NBS‑LRR family. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would have a high expectation of success by using NCBI Reference Sequence: XM_028368933.1 in the teachings of LIU.
In regard to claims 3 and 8-9, LIU teaches methods of using the polynucleotides of the invention, for example, in DNA constructs or expression cassettes (i.e., an expression cassette comprising the nucleic acid of claim 2; instant claim 3) or vectors (i.e., a vector comprising the nucleic acid molecule of claim 2; instant claim 8) for transformation and expression in organisms, including plants (i.e., a transgenic cell comprising the nucleic acid of claim 2; instant claim 9) (Liu, page 4, last paragraph).
In regard to claims 4-6, LIU teaches that "expression cassette" means a nucleic acid molecule capable of directing expression of at least one polynucleotide of interest, such as a R-gene polynucleotide that encodes protein of the invention, in an appropriate host cell, comprising a promoter operably linked to the polynucleotide of interest (i.e., wherein the nucleic acid molecule is operably linked to a promoter capable of directing expression in a plant cell; instant claim 4). In embodiments, at least one of the components in the expression cassette may be heterologous (i.e., foreign) with respect to at least one of the other components {e.g., a heterologous promoter operatively associated with a polynucleotide of interest) (i.e., wherein the promoter is an endogenous/exogenous promoter; instant claims 5 and 6) (Liu, page 12, last paragraph).
In regard to claim 7, LIU teaches SEQ ID NO: 19, a promoter which shares 100% sequence identity with instant sequence SEQ ID NO: 14 (i.e., wherein the promoter comprises any one of SEQ ID NOs: 13-15) (see alignment below).
LIU SEQ ID NO: 19 ALIGNED WITH INSTANT SEQUENCE SEQ ID NO; 14
Qy 1 GTTGCCATCGTTTCATCCTAGGGTTTTATTGTTACTGTTATTGGCAATTAGATATCTGAA 60
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1 GTTGCCATCGTTTCATCCTAGGGTTTTATTGTTACTGTTATTGGCAATTAGATATCTGAA 60
Qy 61 ATTTGGTGGCATGCTTCAGAGTTAGAGGATGGAGTTTTCAAGTTTTTTTGGTTTTTGTTT 120
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 61 ATTTGGTGGCATGCTTCAGAGTTAGAGGATGGAGTTTTCAAGTTTTTTTGGTTTTTGTTT 120
Qy 121 GATGATGTTCTAAGTTTTTTGGTTTAGCTTTTGCTGGTCTATTAATGGCATGATGCTTCA 180
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 121 GATGATGTTCTAAGTTTTTTGGTTTAGCTTTTGCTGGTCTATTAATGGCATGATGCTTCA 180
Qy 181 CTGATGACAAATAACAATGTAATGAAGTGTCAGTTTTGATTTTAAGCCATATTCGTGTAT 240
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 181 CTGATGACAAATAACAATGTAATGAAGTGTCAGTTTTGATTTTAAGCCATATTCGTGTAT 240
Qy 241 TGTTAAAGCATCCAATTTTGTCAATCAATTGATGCTTCAAGTATTTCTTTTATTAATGCA 300
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 241 TGTTAAAGCATCCAATTTTGTCAATCAATTGATGCTTCAAGTATTTCTTTTATTAATGCA 300
Qy 301 ATGAATTTTCGTTTTACCTTATAATCCATATGAGAACTTTCTTTAATTTTCCAGTTATGT 360
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 301 ATGAATTTTCGTTTTACCTTATAATCCATATGAGAACTTTCTTTAATTTTCCAGTTATGT 360
Qy 361 GTATATTGATTTTGTATTTTGTTGTAAAGAATTAATCATAGTGCACTGAACCTAGCAAAA 420
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 361 GTATATTGATTTTGTATTTTGTTGTAAAGAATTAATCATAGTGCACTGAACCTAGCAAAA 420
Qy 421 CTTGGGAATTTGTTGATATTGAAGCTAATTTAATCAATAGTCTTGCTTAAATGGAATAAG 480
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 421 CTTGGGAATTTGTTGATATTGAAGCTAATTTAATCAATAGTCTTGCTTAAATGGAATAAG 480
Qy 481 AATGGCGTGGTACTCTTCAAAATATCATGATTGCACATTTATTTTCCCTTTACCGCTTCA 540
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 481 AATGGCGTGGTACTCTTCAAAATATCATGATTGCACATTTATTTTCCCTTTACCGCTTCA 540
Qy 541 CAACATTTAATTCAGCACTACTATCAATTATTCTCTATCAATGCATATTCCCATGCACCA 600
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 541 CAACATTTAATTCAGCACTACTATCAATTATTCTCTATCAATGCATATTCCCATGCACCA 600
Qy 601 GCAAAAGTATGTCATGTAACTATAAATATAGGTGCGGTGCTATCGAAAGGCTTGCCATTC 660
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 601 GCAAAAGTATGTCATGTAACTATAAATATAGGTGCGGTGCTATCGAAAGGCTTGCCATTC 660
Qy 661 TCATTCTAAACTCACTTAGCATCACATGTTTGTATCAAAAAATGGCTTTACGTGAGTTTG 720
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 661 TCATTCTAAACTCACTTAGCATCACATGTTTGTATCAAAAAATGGCTTTACGTGAGTTTG 720
Qy 721 AGAGCTTACTTGCTTTGATTTGCTTGAAAGGTCCCATAATCTTTGTTTATTATGTTTATG 780
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 721 AGAGCTTACTTGCTTTGATTTGCTTGAAAGGTCCCATAATCTTTGTTTATTATGTTTATG 780
Qy 781 GTTTATTTTTATGTGAATATGAAAACCATCCAGCATCAAAATCTAAACGAAGGACCGCAT 840
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 781 GTTTATTTTTATGTGAATATGAAAACCATCCAGCATCAAAATCTAAACGAAGGACCGCAT 840
Qy 841 ATTATTTACCATCATTTTTACCAATTTTCATTCTCAACAACACCATTATTTACCCAAGAA 900
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 841 ATTATTTACCATCATTTTTACCAATTTTCATTCTCAACAACACCATTATTTACCCAAGAA 900
Qy 901 AATAATTAAACAACAACATATTATTTTCCGCCAACCGTTGCTTTTTCTACGGACACCCAA 960
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 901 AATAATTAAACAACAACATATTATTTTCCGCCAACCGTTGCTTTTTCTACGGACACCCAA 960
Qy 961 ATGTAAAACACCCTTAATTCCAAAGATTTCCAAGATATAAATAAATACACCATAAACATT 1020
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 961 ATGTAAAACACCCTTAATTCCAAAGATTTCCAAGATATAAATAAATACACCATAAACATT 1020
Qy 1021 CTTCTTCTAACAAAGAAGACCTAACCATTGTTCTAACAGTAACACCTAAAATTCAGTTAC 1080
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1021 CTTCTTCTAACAAAGAAGACCTAACCATTGTTCTAACAGTAACACCTAAAATTCAGTTAC 1080
Qy 1081 CTAACATGTCAAAGTGAAAACTGAGCACAAAAACTAAAATCAAAACACCAGTTAAGAAAA 1140
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1081 CTAACATGTCAAAGTGAAAACTGAGCACAAAAACTAAAATCAAAACACCAGTTAAGAAAA 1140
Qy 1141 TAATTAAACAACAACACAAAATTTTGCATTTTGATGTATGAAAAGCTTTAAAAAAAGTGA 1200
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1141 TAATTAAACAACAACACAAAATTTTGCATTTTGATGTATGAAAAGCTTTAAAAAAAGTGA 1200
Qy 1201 CTATTTCTAAAATCACTTTTAAAAAAAGAAACATCCAAAGTCATGAGTGAGTCAAAGGGG 1260
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1201 CTATTTCTAAAATCACTTTTAAAAAAAGAAACATCCAAAGTCATGAGTGAGTCAAAGGGG 1260
Qy 1261 TTATAAACTTCTGCATTACCCTAATCTTTCTATTCTTGAAATTCCATGAGAAAATAAACA 1320
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1261 TTATAAACTTCTGCATTACCCTAATCTTTCTATTCTTGAAATTCCATGAGAAAATAAACA 1320
Qy 1321 ACAGCACATAAATGGGTTAAGCTTTAAAAAAAGGGATAATTTGTAAAATCACTTTTTCAG 1380
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1321 ACAGCACATAAATGGGTTAAGCTTTAAAAAAAGGGATAATTTGTAAAATCACTTTTTCAG 1380
Qy 1381 ACATTTTTGTTTATGCATGTGGTAAAAGTCATCTAAAGAACATCCAATGGAAGAATCGTA 1440
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1381 ACATTTTTGTTTATGCATGTGGTAAAAGTCATCTAAAGAACATCCAATGGAAGAATCGTA 1440
Qy 1441 CAAAAAATCATTGATCTAACAGAATGGACCAAAACGAGATTAAAAAAAAACTTAAATACT 1500
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1441 CAAAAAATCATTGATCTAACAGAATGGACCAAAACGAGATTAAAAAAAAACTTAAATACT 1500
Qy 1501 CAAACAATCCTTTTTTTAGTTAAGAAATTAAAACAATACCAATTAAATATTTAAGGAACC 1560
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1501 CAAACAATCCTTTTTTTAGTTAAGAAATTAAAACAATACCAATTAAATATTTAAGGAACC 1560
Qy 1561 AAAATAACATTTAAGCCTAAATTATTTTGACTAACATAAATACATAATTAAAAACTATTT 1620
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1561 AAAATAACATTTAAGCCTAAATTATTTTGACTAACATAAATACATAATTAAAAACTATTT 1620
Qy 1621 TAAAATTTCAATACAACGACACACCTTGAGAGACTAAAATGATTATTATTCATATTATCC 1680
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1621 TAAAATTTCAATACAACGACACACCTTGAGAGACTAAAATGATTATTATTCATATTATCC 1680
Qy 1681 ATTAAAAAGGAAAAGGAGTGCGTGTGAAAAGCAGGCCACACGTATATGGGCCTTGAACTC 1740
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1681 ATTAAAAAGGAAAAGGAGTGCGTGTGAAAAGCAGGCCACACGTATATGGGCCTTGAACTC 1740
Qy 1741 GAATTCGAATTCGAATCTTGTGGCCACCTAACCACTTCACTAAACTCACGAATAATTGGT 1800
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1741 GAATTCGAATTCGAATCTTGTGGCCACCTAACCACTTCACTAAACTCACGAATAATTGGT 1800
Qy 1801 GAACAATTCTTTACAACGAAACTAACGAATATCCTAATACCAGATCCTAATGACATTTTT 1860
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1801 GAACAATTCTTTACAACGAAACTAACGAATATCCTAATACCAGATCCTAATGACATTTTT 1860
Qy 1861 ACCCCTAAACTCTTACCCTCAACACTTTCAAAAGAATCATCACTAAATTGTCATTTTAAC 1920
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1861 ACCCCTAAACTCTTACCCTCAACACTTTCAAAAGAATCATCACTAAATTGTCATTTTAAC 1920
Qy 1921 ACACTCTAGAACCTACTTTGATAACGAAAAAGTAGAAAGAAACCCGTGCTAGGTCCCACC 1980
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1921 ACACTCTAGAACCTACTTTGATAACGAAAAAGTAGAAAGAAACCCGTGCTAGGTCCCACC 1980
Qy 1981 CAATAGACAACGCAAACCACAATTACCAGCGCAGTATCACGGGTCATGCACCGGTCACGT 2040
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1981 CAATAGACAACGCAAACCACAATTACCAGCGCAGTATCACGGGTCATGCACCGGTCACGT 2040
Qy 2041 AGCGTAGATAAAACCCGGAACCAAACTTGACCTACCCCCACAAACAAGTCATTATTTTAT 2100
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2041 AGCGTAGATAAAACCCGGAACCAAACTTGACCTACCCCCACAAACAAGTCATTATTTTAT 2100
Qy 2101 TATATTTATCCTTAAAACCCTATTTCTCATTTCATTTCTTCTACAACCGTCTACTCTAGC 2160
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2101 TATATTTATCCTTAAAACCCTATTTCTCATTTCATTTCTTCTACAACCGTCTACTCTAGC 2160
Qy 2161 TCGTTAGTTCCGCTATCACTCTACTCTTCTACTACTTCACTTCATCCTCTTTGTTTTTCA 2220
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2161 TCGTTAGTTCCGCTATCACTCTACTCTTCTACTACTTCACTTCATCCTCTTTGTTTTTCA 2220
Qy 2221 GCCTAGGGTGGTGGTAATTATTCATAACTGTTTCATTATTTTTCCTTAATTTCTCATTAA 2280
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2221 GCCTAGGGTGGTGGTAATTATTCATAACTGTTTCATTATTTTTCCTTAATTTCTCATTAA 2280
Qy 2281 TTTTCCGTTAATTTTTCAATTAGTGTAAGCTGATCTGATTTTTTTCCTTTGTTTTTGTTT 2340
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2281 TTTTCCGTTAATTTTTCAATTAGTGTAAGCTGATCTGATTTTTTTCCTTTGTTTTTGTTT 2340
Qy 2341 CGAATTTTGATGGATCAGCCAAGATCAAGATCGTAATCAACGGTAAATATTATAGTTCCT 2400
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2341 CGAATTTTGATGGATCAGCCAAGATCAAGATCGTAATCAACGGTAAATATTATAGTTCCT 2400
Qy 2401 TCGATCTCTGTTCATTTATGCGTCGATCGGATTTATATTTTTTAATTTAGTTTATTTTTT 2460
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2401 TCGATCTCTGTTCATTTATGCGTCGATCGGATTTATATTTTTTAATTTAGTTTATTTTTT 2460
Qy 2461 GTTAATTTTGTTTGTAACTGATAGGATTTGGAAGAATCGGAAACC 2505
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 2461 GTTAATTTTGTTTGTAACTGATAGGATTTGGAAGAATCGGAAACC 2505
Summary
Claims 82-87 have been deemed free of the prior art. A thorough sequence search did not disclose a sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 2-4 and 11-12. Nor did the sequence search disclose a nucleic acid molecule encoding the peptide of claim 1 (SEQ ID NO: 5). Accordingly, claims 82-87 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Correspondence
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to CHRISTINA MEADOWS whose telephone number is (703)756-1430. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Amjad Abraham can be reached at 571-270-7058. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/CHRISTINA L MEADOWS/Examiner, Art Unit 1663
CHRISTINA MEADOWS
Examiner
Art Unit 1663
/Amjad Abraham/SPE, Art Unit 1663
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