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 .
Response to Previous Communications
In response to the restriction requirement mailed on 06/10/2026, the Applicant’s attorneys, Gemma Johnson, Maria DeCicco RePass, and David Lu, elect Group 2 (i.e. Claims 20-23, 25, 26, 28 and 31-33) without traversal which was filed on 08/10/2026.
Priority
Applicant claims priority to U.S. provisional Application 63/3161000 filed on March 3,2022.
Status of the Claims
Claims 1-2, 4,7,9,11-14 and 18 are canceled.
Claims 20-23, 25-26, 28, and 31-33 are pending.
Claims 20-23, 25-26, 28, and 31-33 are examined herein.
Specification
The specification is objected to because paragraph 82 indicates Isolate MIC-93265 was deposited but does not give the deposit ID.
Information Disclosure Statement
Applicant should note that the extremely large number of references in the attached IDS have been considered by the examiner in the same manner as other documents in Office search files are considered by the examiner while conducting a search of the prior art in a proper field of search. See MPEP 609.05(b). Applicant is requested to point out any particular references in the IDS which they believe may be of particular relevance to the instant claimed invention in response to this office action.
Claim Interpretation
Claims 20 and 31 recite “one or more endophytes comprise one or more polynucleotide sequences at least 97% identical to each of SEQ ID NOs. 29-38” or “ first endophyte having at least one polynucleotide sequence that is at least 97% identical to each of SEQ ID NOs. 29-38” which is interpreted by the examiner to mean the endophyte must have at least one of the indicated sequences.
Claims 20-23, 25-26, 28, and 31-33 will not be subjected to a 35 U.S.C. §101 because independent Claims 20 and 31 recite a “synthetic composition” which is defined in paragraph 50 of the specification and clearly defines the composition as combined by human endeavor with a heterologously disposed plant element or a treatment formulation not found in nature.
Claim Objections
Claim 20 recites a control plant but not a control plant element in line 3.
Claim 31 recites “comprises” in line 2 which should be “comprise” to make it grammatically correct.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
Claim 22 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as failing to set forth the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for applications subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 112, the applicant regards as the invention.
Claim 22 is rejected for reciting a “reference plant element” which is undefined in the present claim or independent Claim 20. Is the reference plant element an untreated plant element, same or different species, or same plant element (seed, leaf, root etc..)?
Double Patenting
The nonstatutory double patenting rejection is based on a judicially created doctrine grounded in public policy (a policy reflected in the statute) so as to prevent the unjustified or improper timewise extension of the "right to exclude" granted by a patent and to prevent possible harassment by multiple assignees. A nonstatutory double patenting rejection is appropriate where the conflicting claims are not identical, but at least one examined application claim is not patentably distinct from the reference claim(s) because the examined application claim is either anticipated by, or would have been obvious over, the reference claim(s). See, e.g., In re Berg, 140 F.3d 1428, 46 USPQ2d 1226 (Fed. Cir. 1998); In re Goodman, 11 F.3d 1046, 29 USPQ2d 2010 (Fed. Cir. 1993); In re Langi, 759 F.2d 887, 225 USPQ 645 (Fed. Cir. 1985); In re Van Ornum, 686 F.2d 937, 214 USPQ 761 (CCPA 1982); In re Vogel, 422 F.2d 438, 164 USPQ 619 (CCPA 1970); In re Thorington, 418 F.2d 528, 163 USPQ 644 (CCPA 1969).
A timely filed terminal disclaimer in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321 (c) or 1.321 (d) may be used to overcome an actual or provisional rejection based on nonstatutory double patenting provided the reference application or patent either is shown to be commonly owned with the examined application, or claims an invention made as a result of activities undertaken within the scope of a joint research agreement. See MPEP § 717.02 for applications subject to examination under the first inventor to file
provisions of the AIA as explained in MPEP § 2159. See MPEP § 2146 et seq. for applications not subject to examination under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA . A terminal disclaimer must be signed in compliance with 37 CFR 1.321 (b).
The filing of a terminal disclaimer by itself is not a complete reply to a nonstatutory double patenting (NSDP) rejection. A complete reply requires that the terminal disclaimer be accompanied by a reply requesting reconsideration of the prior Office action. Even where the NSDP rejection is provisional the reply must be complete. See MPEP § 804, subsection I.B.1. For a reply to a non-final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.111 (a). For a reply to final Office action, see 37 CFR 1.113(c). A request for reconsideration while not provided for in 37 CFR 1.113(c) may be filed after final for consideration. See MPEP §§ 706.07(e) and 714.13.
The USPTO Internet website contains terminal disclaimer forms which may be used. Please visit www.uspto.gov/patent/patents-forms. The actual filing date of the application in which the form is filed determines what form (e.g., PTO/SB/25, PTO/SB/26, PTO/AIA /25, or PTO/AIA /26) should be used. A web-based eTerminal Disclaimer may be filled out completely online using web-screens. An eTerminal Disclaimer that meets all requirements is auto-processed and approved immediately upon submission. For more information about eTerminal Disclaimers, refer to www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/applying-online/eterminal-disclaimer.
For Patent No:10212944
Claims 1 and 9-10 of Patent No: US 10,212,944 B2 (now referred to as “Ambrose”; see IDS files 04/29/2025) already claim a synthetic composition comprising endophytes capable of improving a trait of agronomic importance in a plant element or to a plant grown from said plant element. The synthetic composition further comprises a fungal or bacterial endophyte comprising an internal transcribed spacer nucleic acid sequence (i.e. polynucleotide sequence) at least 95% identical to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 561-758 (Claim 9) or a 16S rDNA sequence with SEQ ID NOs:1-560 (Claim 10). SEQ ID NOs 298 and 609 from Ambrose have 98.8% similarity to Applicants SEQ ID NO: 29 (See sequence alignment #1 below). Thus, the subject matter of instant Claims 20 and 22 has already been patented in Claims 1 and 9-10 of Ambrose. Claim 6 of Ambrose also indicates the synthetic composition additionally comprises a plant element (i.e. immediate Claim 21). Claim 2 of Ambrose recites the trait of agricultural importance is selected from the group consisting of: germination rate, emergence rate, shoot biomass, root biomass, seedling root length, seedling shoot length, and yield (i.e. limitations in immediate Claim 25). Claim 5 of Ambrose recites the use of a stabilizer, or a preservative, or a carrier, or a surfactant, or an anticomplex agent, fungicide, nematicide, bactericide, insecticide, and herbicide, or any combination thereof and meets the limitations of immediate Claim 26. Table 1 also lists bacterial endophytes determined to be useful to the compositions and lists multiple endophytes from the Bacillaceae family (i.e. immediate Claim 28) identified from SEQ ID NOs: 1-3,15, 20,34-35 and 39 etc. as was drawn to in Claims 1 and 10 of Ambrose. Regarding immediate Claim 31, Claims 1 and 10 of Ambrose also encompass an endophyte identified as Bacillaceae Bacillus (Table 1 in Ambrose). This genus contains a polynucleotide sequence that is 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 391. Furthermore, claim 1 of Ambrose teaches a plant element (i.e. seed, according to column 18 lines 43-49) can be included in the composition while Claim 5 recites a stabilizer (i.e. immediate Claim 32).
Thus, instant Claims 20-22, 25-26, 28, and 31-32 are obvious in light of Claims 1-2, 5-6, and 9-10 of Ambrose as evidenced by Suyal et al 2014.
Sequence Alignment #1
RESULT 2
US-15-143-394-609
(NOTE: this sequence has 4 duplicates in the database searched.
See complete list at the end of this report)
Sequence 609, US/15143394
Publication No. US20160366892A1
GENERAL INFORMATION
APPLICANT: Ambrose, Karen
APPLICANT: Boghigian, Brett A.
APPLICANT: Djonovic, Slavica
APPLICANT: Gray, Paul
APPLICANT: Toledo, Gerardo V.
APPLICANT: Marquez, Luis Miguel
APPLICANT: Pelaez, Julianne
APPLICANT: von Maltzahn, Geoffrey
TITLE OF INVENTION: Designed Complex Endophyte Compositions and Methods for Improved
TITLE OF INVENTION: Plant Traits
FILE REFERENCE: 30807-33789/US
CURRENT APPLICATION NUMBER: US/15/143,394
CURRENT FILING DATE: 2016-04-29
PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: 62/156,006
PRIOR FILING DATE: 2015-05-01
NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 758
SEQ ID NO 609
LENGTH: 579
TYPE: DNA
ORGANISM: Lecythophora hoffmannii
Query Match 98.0%; Score 475.4; Length 579;
Best Local Similarity 98.8%;
Matches 479; Conservative 0; Mismatches 6; Indels 0; Gaps 0;
Qy 1 CAAGAAGCCGAAAGGCTACTTCAAACCATTGCGAACTCGTCCAAGTTGCTTCGGCGGCGC 60
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 42 CAAGAAGCCGAAAGGCTACTTCAAACCATCGCGAACTCGTCCAAGTTGCTTCGGCGGCGC 101
Qy 61 GGCACCCCCTAACGGGGGCGCCGCAGCCCTGCCTCTCCGGAGGTTCGGGGCGCCCGCCGG 120
|||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||
Db 102 GGCACCCCTTAACGGGGGCGCCGCAGCCCTGCCTCTCCGGAGGTTTGGGGCGCCCGCCGG 161
Qy 121 AGGTACGAAACTCTGTATTATAGTGGCATCTCTGAGTATAAAGCAAATAAGTTAAAACTT 180
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||
Db 162 AGGTACGAAACTCTGTATTATAGTGGCATCTCTGAGTATAAAACAAATAAGTTAAAACTT 221
Qy 181 TCAACAACGGATCTCTTGGCTCTGGCATCGATGAAGAACGCAGCGAAATGCGATAAGTAA 240
||||||||||||||||||| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 222 TCAACAACGGATCTCTTGGTTCTGGCATCGATGAAGAACGCAGCGAAATGCGATAAGTAA 281
Qy 241 TGTGAATTGCAGAATTCAGTGAATCATCGAATCTTTGAACGCACATTGCGCCCGGTAGTA 300
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 282 TGTGAATTGCAGAATTCAGTGAATCATCGAATCTTTGAACGCACATTGCGCCCGGTAGTA 341
Qy 301 CTCTACCGGGCATGCCTGTTCGAGCGTCATTTCAACCCTCAAGCTCTGCTTGGTGTTGGG 360
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||
Db 342 CTCTACCGGGCATGCCTGTTCGAGCGTCATTTCAACCCTCAAGCCCTGCTTGGTGTTGGG 401
Qy 361 GCCCTACGGCTGCCGTAGGCCCTGAAAGGAAGTGGCGGGCTCGCTACAACTCCGAGCGTA 420
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 402 GCCCTACGGCTGCCGTAGGCCCTGAAAGGAAGTGGCGGGCTCGCTACAACTCCGAGCGTA 461
Qy 421 GTAATTCATTATCTCGCTAGGGAGGTTGCGGCGTGCTCCTGCCGTTAAAGACCCATCTTT 480
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 462 GTAATTCATTATCTCGCTAGGGAGGTTGCGGCGTGCTCCTGCCGTTAAAGACCCATCTTT 521
Qy 481 AACCA 485
|||||
Db 522 AACCA 526
US-15-143-398-298
Filing date in PALM: 2016-04-29
Sequence 298, US/15143398
Publication No. US20160316760A1
GENERAL INFORMATION
APPLICANT: Ambrose, Karen
APPLICANT: Boghigian, Brett A.
APPLICANT: Djonovic, Slavica
APPLICANT: Gray, Paul
APPLICANT: Toledo, Gerardo V.
APPLICANT: Marquez, Luis Miguel
APPLICANT: von Maltzahn, Geoffrey
TITLE OF INVENTION: Isolated Complex Endophyte Compositions and Methods for Improved
TITLE OF INVENTION: Plant Traits
FILE REFERENCE: 30807-33788/US
CURRENT APPLICATION NUMBER: US/15/143,398
CURRENT FILING DATE: 2016-04-29
PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: 62/156,001
PRIOR FILING DATE: 2015-05-01
NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 333
SEQ ID NO 298
LENGTH: 579
TYPE: DNA
ORGANISM: Unknown
FEATURE:
OTHER INFORMATION: Kingdom: Fungi, Phylum: Ascomycota, Class: Sordariomycetes,
Order: Coniochaetales, Family: Coniochaetaceae, Genus:
Lecythophora
Sequence Alignment # 2
Query Applicant’s SEQ ID NO: 39
Sbjct Suyal et al 2014 16S rRNA gene from Bacillaceae Bacillus
Score
Expect
Identities
Gaps
Strand
2732 bits(1479)
0.0
1479/1479(100%)
0/1479(0%)
Plus/Plus
Query 1 GGCTCAGGACGAACGCTGGCGGCGTGCCTAATACATGCAAGTCGAGCGAATCGATGGGAG 60
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 12 GGCTCAGGACGAACGCTGGCGGCGTGCCTAATACATGCAAGTCGAGCGAATCGATGGGAG 71
Query 61 CTTGCTCCCTGAGATTAGCGGCGGACGGGTGAGTAACACGTGGGCAACCTGCCTATAAGA 120
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 72 CTTGCTCCCTGAGATTAGCGGCGGACGGGTGAGTAACACGTGGGCAACCTGCCTATAAGA 131
Query 121 CTGGGATAACTTCGGGAAACCGGAGCTAATACCGGATACGTTCTTTTCTCGCATGAGAGA 180
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 132 CTGGGATAACTTCGGGAAACCGGAGCTAATACCGGATACGTTCTTTTCTCGCATGAGAGA 191
Query 181 AGATGGAAAGACGGTTTACGCTGTCACTTATAGATGGGCCCGCGGCGCATTAGCTAGTTG 240
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 192 AGATGGAAAGACGGTTTACGCTGTCACTTATAGATGGGCCCGCGGCGCATTAGCTAGTTG 251
Query 241 GTGAGGTAATGGCTCACCAAGGCGACGATGCGTAGCCGACCTGAGAGGGTGATCGGCCAC 300
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 252 GTGAGGTAATGGCTCACCAAGGCGACGATGCGTAGCCGACCTGAGAGGGTGATCGGCCAC 311
Query 301 ACTGGGACTGAGACACGGCCCAGACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTAGGGAATCTTCCGCAA 360
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 312 ACTGGGACTGAGACACGGCCCAGACTCCTACGGGAGGCAGCAGTAGGGAATCTTCCGCAA 371
Query 361 TGGACGAAAGTCTGACGGAGCAACGCCGCGTGAACGAAGAAGGCCTTCGGGTCGTAAAGT 420
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 372 TGGACGAAAGTCTGACGGAGCAACGCCGCGTGAACGAAGAAGGCCTTCGGGTCGTAAAGT 431
Query 421 TCTGTTGTTAGGGAAGAACAAGTACCAGAGTAACTGCTGGTACCTTGACGGTACCTAACC 480
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 432 TCTGTTGTTAGGGAAGAACAAGTACCAGAGTAACTGCTGGTACCTTGACGGTACCTAACC 491
Query 481 AGAAAGCCACGGCTAACTACGTGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATACGTAGGTGGCAAGCGTTGT 540
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 492 AGAAAGCCACGGCTAACTACGTGCCAGCAGCCGCGGTAATACGTAGGTGGCAAGCGTTGT 551
Query 541 CCGGAATTATTGGGCGTAAAGCGCGCGCAGGTGGTTCCTTAAGTCTGATGTGAAAGCCCA 600
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 552 CCGGAATTATTGGGCGTAAAGCGCGCGCAGGTGGTTCCTTAAGTCTGATGTGAAAGCCCA 611
Query 601 CGGCTCAACCGTGGAGGGTCATTGGAAACTGGGGAACTTGAGTGCAGAAGAGGAAAGTGG 660
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 612 CGGCTCAACCGTGGAGGGTCATTGGAAACTGGGGAACTTGAGTGCAGAAGAGGAAAGTGG 671
Query 661 AATTCCAAGTGTAGCGGTGAAATGCGTAGAGATTTGGAGGAACACCAGTGGCGAAGGCGA 720
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 672 AATTCCAAGTGTAGCGGTGAAATGCGTAGAGATTTGGAGGAACACCAGTGGCGAAGGCGA 731
Query 721 CTTTCTGGTCTGTAACTGACACTGAGGCGCGAAAGCGTGGGGAGCAAACAGGATTAGATA 780
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 732 CTTTCTGGTCTGTAACTGACACTGAGGCGCGAAAGCGTGGGGAGCAAACAGGATTAGATA 791
Query 781 CCCTGGTAGTCCACGCCGTAAACGATGAGTGCTAAGTGTTAGAGGGTTTCCGCCCTTTAG 840
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 792 CCCTGGTAGTCCACGCCGTAAACGATGAGTGCTAAGTGTTAGAGGGTTTCCGCCCTTTAG 851
Query 841 TGCTGCAGCTAACGCATTAAGCACTCCGCCTGGGGAGTACGGCCGCAAGGCTGAAACTCA 900
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 852 TGCTGCAGCTAACGCATTAAGCACTCCGCCTGGGGAGTACGGCCGCAAGGCTGAAACTCA 911
Query 901 AAGGAATTGACGGGGGCCCGCACAAGCGGTGGAGCATGTGGTTTAATTCGAAGCAACGCG 960
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 912 AAGGAATTGACGGGGGCCCGCACAAGCGGTGGAGCATGTGGTTTAATTCGAAGCAACGCG 971
Query 961 AAGAACCTTACCAGGTCTTGACATCCTCTGACAACCCTAGAGATAGGGCTTTCCCCTTCG 1020
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 972 AAGAACCTTACCAGGTCTTGACATCCTCTGACAACCCTAGAGATAGGGCTTTCCCCTTCG 1031
Query 1021 GGGGACAGAGTGACAGGTGGTGCATGGTTGTCGTCAGCTCGTGTCGTGAGATGTTGGGTT 1080
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1032 GGGGACAGAGTGACAGGTGGTGCATGGTTGTCGTCAGCTCGTGTCGTGAGATGTTGGGTT 1091
Query 1081 AAGTCCCGCAACGAGCGCAACCCTTGATCTTAGTTGCCAGCATTCAGTTGGGCACTCTAA 1140
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1092 AAGTCCCGCAACGAGCGCAACCCTTGATCTTAGTTGCCAGCATTCAGTTGGGCACTCTAA 1151
Query 1141 GGTGACTGCCGGTGACAAACCGGAGGAAGGTGGGGATGACGTCAAATCATCATGCCCCTT 1200
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1152 GGTGACTGCCGGTGACAAACCGGAGGAAGGTGGGGATGACGTCAAATCATCATGCCCCTT 1211
Query 1201 ATGACCTGGGCTACACACGTGCTACAATGGATGGTACAAAGGGCTGCAAACCTGCGAAGG 1260
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1212 ATGACCTGGGCTACACACGTGCTACAATGGATGGTACAAAGGGCTGCAAACCTGCGAAGG 1271
Query 1261 TAAGCGAATCCCATAAAGCCATTCTCAGTTCGGATTGCAGGCTGCAACTCGCCTGCATGA 1320
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1272 TAAGCGAATCCCATAAAGCCATTCTCAGTTCGGATTGCAGGCTGCAACTCGCCTGCATGA 1331
Query 1321 AGCCGGAATCGCTAGTAATCGCGGATCAGCATGCCGCGGTGAATACGTTCCCGGGCCTTG 1380
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1332 AGCCGGAATCGCTAGTAATCGCGGATCAGCATGCCGCGGTGAATACGTTCCCGGGCCTTG 1391
Query 1381 TACACACCGCCCGTCACACCACGAGAGTTTGTAACACCCGAAGTCGGTGAGGTAACCTTC 1440
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1392 TACACACCGCCCGTCACACCACGAGAGTTTGTAACACCCGAAGTCGGTGAGGTAACCTTC 1451
Query 1441 ATGGAGCCAGCCGCCTAAGGTGGGACAGATGATTGGGGT 1479
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Sbjct 1452 ATGGAGCCAGCCGCCTAAGGTGGGACAGATGATTGGGGT 1490
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.
(a)(2) the claimed invention was described in a patent issued under section 151, or in an application for patent published or deemed published under section 122(b), in which the patent or application, as the case may be, names another inventor and was effectively filed before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claims 20-23, 25-26, 28, and 31-33 are rejected as being anticipated under 35 U.S.C. § 102 over US 10,212,944 B2 (i.e. Ambrose; see IDS files 04/29/2025) as evidenced by Suyal et al 2014. Claims 20-23, 25-26, 28, and 31-33 encompass synthetic compositions with endophytes capable of improving a trait of agronomic importance in a plant or plant element. The endophytes are identified as comprising a polynucleotide sequence 97% similar to SEQ ID NOs: 29-39. Claims also cover specific plant elements, traits of agronomic importance, treatment formulations, and an endophyte from the Bacillaceae family.
Ambrose teaches a synthetic composition comprising one or more endophytes capable of improving a trait of agronomic importance in a plant element or to a plant grown from said plant element. The synthetic composition further comprises a fungal endophyte comprising an internal transcribed spacer nucleic acid sequence at least 95% identical to a nucleic acid sequence selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NOs: 561-758 and a bacterial endophyte comprising a 16S rDNA sequence with SEQ ID NOs:1-560 (see claims 1, 9-10, column 3 lines 48-59, and Tables 1 and 2). SEQ ID NOs 298 and 609 from Ambrose have 98.8% similarity to Applicants SEQ ID NO: 29 (see sequence alignment #1 above). Thus, Ambrose teaches the limitations of Immediate Claims 20 and 22. Ambrose also indicates the synthetic composition can additionally comprise a plant element (i.e. immediate Claim 21) in claim 6 and column 3 lines 48-59. Column 6 lines 12-19 of Ambrose also lists the plant species (i.e. wheat, rice, cotton, and canola) recited in immediate Claim 23. Ambrose recites the trait of agricultural importance is selected from the group consisting of: germination rate, emergence rate, shoot biomass, root biomass, seedling root length, seedling shoot length, and yield (i.e. limitations in immediate Claim 25) in Claim 2 and column 3 line 60 to column 4 line 41. Ambrose recites the use of a stabilizer, or a preservative, or a carrier, or a surfactant, or an anticomplex agent, fungicide, nematicide, bactericide, insecticide, and herbicide, or any combination thereof in Claim 5 and column 4 lines 42-50 which meets the limitations of immediate Claim 26. Table 1 also lists bacterial endophytes determined to be useful to the compositions and lists endophytes from the Bacillaceae family (i.e. SEQ ID NOs: 1-3,15, 20,34-35 and 39 etc.) as was drawn to in Claims 1 and 10 of Ambrose (i.e. immediate Claim 28). Regarding immediate Claim 31, Claims 1 and 10 of Ambrose also encompass an endophyte identified as Bacillaceae Bacillus (Table 1 in Ambrose). This genus contains a polynucleotide sequence that is 100% identical to SEQ ID NO: 392. Furthermore, Ambrose teaches a plant grown from a seed contacted with the synthetic composition in Claim 13, indicating they were in possession of a synthetic composition comprising the indicated endophytes (i.e. comprising SEQ ID NOs: 29 and 39) and a seed (i.e. Claim 32) while column 18 lines 43-49 also indicate the plant element referenced in claim 1 can be a seed. Finally, page 26 column 1 lines 22-25 of Ambrose teaches this invention is for improving cultivation of plants particularly wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, and rice (i.e. cereal seeds of immediate Claim 33).
Thus, Ambrose, as evidenced by Suyal et al 2014, anticipates the claimed inventions of the present application.
Conclusion
No claims are allowed.
Contact Information
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to GEORGE W MEYER whose telephone number is (571)272-3733. The examiner can normally be reached Monday - Friday 8:00 am- 5:00 pm.
Examiner interviews are available via telephone, in-person, and video conferencing using a USPTO supplied web-based collaboration tool. To schedule an interview, applicant is encouraged to use the USPTO Automated Interview Request (AIR) at http://www.uspto.gov/interviewpractice.
If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Bratislav Stankovic can be reached at (571) 270-0305. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/GEORGE W MEYER/ Examiner, Art Unit 1662
/BRATISLAV STANKOVIC/ Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Units 1661 & 1662
1 As evidenced by Suyal et al 2014; see Sequence Alignment #2 Below.
2 As evidenced by Suyal et al 2014; see Sequence Alignment #2 Above
