Prosecution Insights
Last updated: August 17, 2026
Application No. 19/296,788

SHOOT REGENERATION BY OVEREXPRESSION OF CHK GENES

Non-Final OA §103
Filed
Aug 11, 2025
Priority
Apr 05, 2018 — EU 18165895.6 +2 more
Examiner
KEOGH, MATTHEW R
Art Unit
Tech Center
Assignee
Keygene N V
OA Round
1 (Non-Final)
78%
Grant Probability
Favorable
1-2
OA Rounds
1y 7m
Est. Remaining
93%
With Interview

Examiner Intelligence

Grants 78% — above average
78%
Career Allowance Rate
552 granted / 705 resolved
+18.3% vs TC avg
Moderate +14% lift
Without
With
+14.5%
Interview Lift
resolved cases with interview
Typical timeline
2y 7m
Avg Prosecution
37 currently pending
Career history
738
Total Applications
across all art units

Statute-Specific Performance

§101
6.5%
-33.5% vs TC avg
§103
25.7%
-14.3% vs TC avg
§102
15.2%
-24.8% vs TC avg
§112
42.1%
+2.1% vs TC avg
Black line = Tech Center average estimate • Based on career data from 705 resolved cases

Office Action

§103
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 . Claim Status Claims 1-17 are pending and examined on the merits. Claim Objections Claim 5 is objected to because of the following informalities: In line 4, the claim recites, “water melon” while it should recite, “watermelon.” Appropriate correction is required. Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103 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. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows: 1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art. 2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue. 3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art. 4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness. Claim(s) 1-13 and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmulling et al (US 9127073 B2) further in view of Meister et al (WO 2006/057832 A2). Schmulling et al teach a constitutively active variant (AHK2) of the instantly claimed SEQ ID NO:4 (see alignment below) and transgenic mustard family plants comprising transgenes encoding said variant (claims 1, 4, 6, 11, 13). They also teach that the variant confers improved shoot growth to the plant (claim 15). They also teach SEQ ID NO:3 which encodes the variant and is 66.4% identical to instant SEQ ID NO: 1. Schmulling et al do not teach explicitly teach the means of plant regeneration despite regeneration of plant expressing a constitutively active form of the same protein as the instantly claimed SEQ ID NO:4. Meister et al teach transgenic Arabidopsis plants constitutively expressing (ubiquitin promoter) AHK3, same as instant CHK3. They teach that the excised hypocotyl tissue was used to assess callus and shoot formation which was conducted on media comprising the auxin indole butyric acid and zeatin (cytokinin) at different concentrations including 500ng/ml. They teach that the callus constitutively expressing AHK3 has forms shoots more readily than wild-type (lines 11-29, p.67). They also teach transient expression (Examples 9-10). Meister et al further teach other CHK genes including CHK2 which is the same as instant SEQ ID NOs: 4. At the time of filing, it would have been prima facie obvious for a person of ordinary skill in the art to following the teachings of Schmulling et al to determine if there constitutively active variant of AHK2 also improves shoot growth in the context of tissue culture. Further, Meister et al provide protocols for regeneration of plants via tissue culture and further motivation to try as they teach that related protein AHK3 improves regeneration of plants in tissue culture. Accordingly, claims 1-13 and 16-17 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmulling et al further in view of Meister et al. ; Sequence 1, Application US/13382922 ; Patent No. 9127073 ; GENERAL INFORMATION ; APPLICANT: SCHMULLING, THOMAS ; APPLICANT:WERNER, TOMAS ; APPLICANT:BARTRINA Y MANNS, ISABEL ; APPLICANT:BRAUN, HELEN ; TITLE OF INVENTION: ROCK2 AND ROCK3, TWO NEW GAIN-OF-FUNCTION VARIANTS OF THE ; TITLE OF INVENTION:CYTOKININ RECEPTORS AHK2 AND AHK3 ; FILE REFERENCE: 5661-26PUS ; CURRENT APPLICATION NUMBER: US/13/382,922 ; CURRENT FILING DATE: 2012-03-20 ; PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: PCT/EP2010/059885 ; PRIOR FILING DATE: 2010-07-09 ; PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: EP 09165161.2 ; PRIOR FILING DATE: 2009-07-10 ; NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 6 ; SOFTWARE: PatentIn version 3.5 ; SEQ ID NO 1 ; LENGTH: 1176 ; TYPE: PRT ; ORGANISM: Arabidopsis thaliana US-13-382-922-1 Query Match 99.9%; Score 6051; DB 9; Length 1176; Best Local Similarity 99.9%; Matches 1175; Conservative 0; Mismatches 1; Indels 0; Gaps 0; Qy 1 MSITCELLNLTSKKAKKSSSSDKKWLKKPLFFLILCGSLVIVLVMFLRLGRSQKEETDSC 60 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1 MSITCELLNLTSKKAKKSSSSDKKWLKKPLFFLILCGSLVIVLVMFLRLGRSQKEETDSC 60 Qy 61 NGEEKVLYRHQNVTRSEIHDLVSLFSDSDQVTSFECHKESSPGMWTNYGITCSLSVRSDK 120 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 61 NGEEKVLYRHQNVTRSEIHDLVSLFSDSDQVTSFECHKESSPGMWTNYGITCSLSVRSDK 120 Qy 121 QETRGLPWNLGLGHSISSTSCMCGNLEPILQQPENLEEENHEEGLEQGLSSYLRNAWWCL 180 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 121 QETRGLPWNLGLGHSISSTSCMCGNLEPILQQPENLEEENHEEGLEQGLSSYLRNAWWCL 180 Qy 181 ILGVLVCHKIYVSHSKARGERKEKVHLQEALAPKKQQQRAQTSSRGAGRWRKNILLLGIL 240 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 181 ILGVLVCHKIYVSHSKARGERKEKVHLQEALAPKKQQQRAQTSSRGAGRWRKNILLLGIL 240 Qy 241 GGVSFSVWWFWDTNEEIIMKRRETLANMCDERARVLQDQFNVSLNHVHALSILVSTFHHG 300 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 241 GGVSFSVWWFWDTNEEIIMKRRETLANMCDERARVLQDQFNVSLNHVHALSILVSTFHHG 300 Qy 301 KIPSAIDQRTFEEYTERTNFERPLTSGVAYALKVPHSEREKFEKEHGWAIKKMETEDQTV 360 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 301 KIPSAIDQRTFEEYTERTNFERPLTSGVAYALKVPHSEREKFEKEHGWAIKKMETEDQTV 360 Qy 361 VQDCVPENFDPAPIQDEYAPVIFAQETVSHIVSVDMMSGEEDRENILRARASGKGVLTSP 420 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 361 VQDCVPENFDPAPIQDEYAPVIFAQETVSHIVSVDMMSGEEDRENILRARASGKGVLTSP 420 Qy 421 FKLLKSNHLGVVLTFAVYDTSLPPDATEEQRVEATIGYLGASYDMPSLVEKLLHQLASKQ 480 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 421 FKLLKSNHLGVVLTFAVYDTSLPPDATEEQRVEATIGYLGASYDMPSLVEKLLHQLASKQ 480 Qy 481 TIAVDVYDTTNTSGLIKMYGSEIGDISEQHISSLDFGDPSRNHEMHCRFKHKLPIPWTAI 540 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 481 TIAVDVYDTTNTSGLIKMYGSEIGDISEQHISSLDFGDPSRNHEMHCRFKHKLPIPWTAI 540 Qy 541 TPSILVLVITFLVGYILYEAINRIATVEEDCQKMRELKARAEAADIAKSQFLATVSHEIR 600 ||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 541 TPSILVLVITFFVGYILYEAINRIATVEEDCQKMRELKARAEAADIAKSQFLATVSHEIR 600 Qy 601 TPMNGVLGMLKMLMDTDLDAKQMDYAQTAHGSGKDLTSLINEVLDQAKIESGRLELENVP 660 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 601 TPMNGVLGMLKMLMDTDLDAKQMDYAQTAHGSGKDLTSLINEVLDQAKIESGRLELENVP 660 Qy 661 FDMRFILDNVSSLLSGKANEKGIELAVYVSSQVPDVVVGDPSRFRQIITNLVGNSIKFTQ 720 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 661 FDMRFILDNVSSLLSGKANEKGIELAVYVSSQVPDVVVGDPSRFRQIITNLVGNSIKFTQ 720 Qy 721 ERGHIFISVHLADEVKEPLTIEDAVLKQRLALGCSESGETVSGFPAVNAWGSWKNFKTCY 780 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 721 ERGHIFISVHLADEVKEPLTIEDAVLKQRLALGCSESGETVSGFPAVNAWGSWKNFKTCY 780 Qy 781 STESQNSDQIKLLVTVEDTGVGIPVDAQGRIFTPFMQADSSTSRTYGGTGIGLSISKRLV 840 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 781 STESQNSDQIKLLVTVEDTGVGIPVDAQGRIFTPFMQADSSTSRTYGGTGIGLSISKRLV 840 Qy 841 ELMQGEMGFVSEPGIGSTFSFTGVFGKAETNTSITKLERFDLAIQEFTGLRALVIDNRNI 900 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 841 ELMQGEMGFVSEPGIGSTFSFTGVFGKAETNTSITKLERFDLAIQEFTGLRALVIDNRNI 900 Qy 901 RAEVTRYELRRLGISADIVSSLRMACTCCISKLENLAMILIDKDAWNKEEFSVLDELFTR 960 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 901 RAEVTRYELRRLGISADIVSSLRMACTCCISKLENLAMILIDKDAWNKEEFSVLDELFTR 960 Qy 961 SKVTFTRVPKIFLLATSATLTERSEMKSTGLIDEVVIKPLRMSVLICCLQETLVNGKKRQ 1020 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 961 SKVTFTRVPKIFLLATSATLTERSEMKSTGLIDEVVIKPLRMSVLICCLQETLVNGKKRQ 1020 Qy 1021 PNRQRRNLGHLLREKQILVVDDNLVNRRVAEGALKKYGAIVTCVESGKAALAMLKPPHNF 1080 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1021 PNRQRRNLGHLLREKQILVVDDNLVNRRVAEGALKKYGAIVTCVESGKAALAMLKPPHNF 1080 Qy 1081 DACFMDLQMPEMDGFEATRRVRELEREINKKIASGEVSAEMFCKFSSWHVPILAMTADVI 1140 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1081 DACFMDLQMPEMDGFEATRRVRELEREINKKIASGEVSAEMFCKFSSWHVPILAMTADVI 1140 Qy 1141 QATHEECMKCGMDGYVSKPFEEEVLYTAVARFFEPC 1176 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1141 QATHEECMKCGMDGYVSKPFEEEVLYTAVARFFEPC 1176 US-13-382-922-3 ; Sequence 3, Application US/13382922 ; Patent No. 9127073 ; GENERAL INFORMATION ; APPLICANT: SCHMULLING, THOMAS ; APPLICANT:WERNER, TOMAS ; APPLICANT:BARTRINA Y MANNS, ISABEL ; APPLICANT:BRAUN, HELEN ; TITLE OF INVENTION: ROCK2 AND ROCK3, TWO NEW GAIN-OF-FUNCTION VARIANTS OF THE ; TITLE OF INVENTION:CYTOKININ RECEPTORS AHK2 AND AHK3 ; FILE REFERENCE: 5661-26PUS ; CURRENT APPLICATION NUMBER: US/13/382,922 ; CURRENT FILING DATE: 2012-03-20 ; PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: PCT/EP2010/059885 ; PRIOR FILING DATE: 2010-07-09 ; PRIOR APPLICATION NUMBER: EP 09165161.2 ; PRIOR FILING DATE: 2009-07-10 ; NUMBER OF SEQ ID NOS: 6 ; SOFTWARE: PatentIn version 3.5 ; SEQ ID NO 3 ; LENGTH: 4595 ; TYPE: DNA ; ORGANISM: Arabidopsis thaliana US-13-382-922-3 Query Match 66.4%; Score 2345.4; DB 27; Length 4595; Best Local Similarity 76.8%; Matches 3530; Conservative 0; Mismatches 1; Indels 1064; Gaps 12; Qy 1 ATGTCTATAACTTGTGAGCTCTTGAATCTTACTTCAAAGAAAGCTAAGAAGTCGTCGAGC 60 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1 ATGTCTATAACTTGTGAGCTCTTGAATCTTACTTCAAAGAAAGCTAAGAAGTCGTCGAGC 60 Qy 61 AGTGACAAGAAATGGCTAAAGAAGCCTCTCTTCTTCCTGATTTTGTGTGGCTCTTTGGTA 120 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 61 AGTGACAAGAAATGGCTAAAGAAGCCTCTCTTCTTCCTGATTTTGTGTGGCTCTTTGGTA 120 Qy 121 ATTGTTTTGGTTATGTTCTTACGGTTAGGTAGAAGTCAGAAGGAGGAGACAGATTCTTGT 180 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 121 ATTGTTTTGGTTATGTTCTTACGGTTAGGTAGAAGTCAGAAGGAGGAGACAGATTCTTGT 180 Qy 181 AATGGAGAAGAGAAAGTGTTGTATAGACATCAAAATGTCACAAGAAGTGAGATTCATGAT 240 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 181 AATGGAGAAGAGAAAGTGTTGTATAGACATCAAAATGTCACAAGAAGTGAGATTCATGAT 240 Qy 241 TTGGTCTCTTTGTTCTCTGATTCAGATC-------------------------------- 268 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 241 TTGGTCTCTTTGTTCTCTGATTCAGATCAGGTAATTGCATGAATTGACTTGTATTTGTTG 300 Qy 269 ------------------------------------------------------------ 268 Db 301 AAATTGAGCTTTTGAATACGCACCAGATTTGCCTTAAAGTGTAACAGTTTCTCTGTATTT 360 Qy 269 -----AGGTAACATCCTTTGAATGTCATAAGGAATCAAGCCCTGGAATGTGGACAAACTA 323 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 361 GTTGTAGGTAACATCCTTTGAATGTCATAAGGAATCAAGCCCTGGAATGTGGACAAACTA 420 Qy 324 TGGTATTACATGTTCCCTGAGTGTGCGTTCTGATAAACAAGAGACTAGAGGGCTTCCCTG 383 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 421 TGGTATTACATGTTCCCTGAGTGTGCGTTCTGATAAACAAGAGACTAGAGGGCTTCCCTG 480 Qy 384 GAATCTTGGCTTAGGACATTCTATCTCATCAACATCTTGTATGTGTGGTAATCTTGAACC 443 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 481 GAATCTTGGCTTAGGACATTCTATCTCATCAACATCTTGTATGTGTGGTAATCTTGAACC 540 Qy 444 ------------------------------------------------------------ 443 Db 541 GGTAAGATAATATTCGATTCGACAACATGTGAAGGAAATGCTTTAAGATTTGGTGTTTAG 600 Qy 444 ---------------------------------------------GATTTTACAGCAACC 458 ||||||||||||||| Db 601 CTAGTTCTCACAAAAGTTTATTGTGAATGTGTTTGGTTATGAGTAGATTTTACAGCAACC 660 Qy 459 TGAAAACCTTGAGGAAGAAAACCATGAAGAAGGGCTGGAGCAGGGTTTGTCATCGTATTT 518 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 661 TGAAAACCTTGAGGAAGAAAACCATGAAGAAGGGCTGGAGCAGGGTTTGTCATCGTATTT 720 Qy 519 AAGAAATGCATGGTGGTGTCTAATCCTTGGTGTGTTAGTGTGCCATAAGATTTATGTATC 578 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 721 AAGAAATGCATGGTGGTGTCTAATCCTTGGTGTGTTAGTGTGCCATAAGATTTATGTATC 780 Qy 579 TCATTCTAAAGCACGAGGTGAGAGGAAAGAGAAAGTACATCTGCAAGAGGCTTTAGCTCC 638 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 781 TCATTCTAAAGCACGAGGTGAGAGGAAAGAGAAAGTACATCTGCAAGAGGCTTTAGCTCC 840 Qy 639 AAAGAAGCAGCAACAACGTGCTCAGACTTCTTCTAGAGGGGCTGGAAGATGGAGGAAGAA 698 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 841 AAAGAAGCAGCAACAACGTGCTCAGACTTCTTCTAGAGGGGCTGGAAGATGGAGGAAGAA 900 Qy 699 TATCCTTCTCCTTGGTATTTTAGGAGGAGTTTCCTTCTCTGTTTGGTGGTTTTGGGACAC 758 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 901 TATCCTTCTCCTTGGTATTTTAGGAGGAGTTTCCTTCTCTGTTTGGTGGTTTTGGGACAC 960 Qy 759 TAATGAGGAGATCATAATGAAAAGGAGGGAGACTTTGGCAAACATGTGTGACGAACGAGC 818 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 961 TAATGAGGAGATCATAATGAAAAGGAGGGAGACTTTGGCAAACATGTGTGACGAACGAGC 1020 Qy 819 ACGTGTTTTACAAGATCAGTTCAATGTTAGCTTGAACCATGTTCATGCCTTGTCTATTCT 878 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1021 ACGTGTTTTACAAGATCAGTTCAATGTTAGCTTGAACCATGTTCATGCCTTGTCTATTCT 1080 Qy 879 TGTATCTACATTTCATCATGGTAAAATCCCATCTGCCATTGAT----------------- 921 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1081 TGTATCTACATTTCATCATGGTAAAATCCCATCTGCCATTGATCAGGTGATGTTTTTTTC 1140 Qy 922 ------------------------------------------------------------ 921 Db 1141 TTACTGCTAAATACATTTTGTGTCTCAAGTTTATGTTTAAATCATCAACTTCTGTTACAT 1200 Qy 922 ---CAGAGAACATTTGAAGAATATACTGAGAGAACAAACTTTGAGAGGCCACTTACTAGT 978 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1201 TTACAGAGAACATTTGAAGAATATACTGAGAGAACAAACTTTGAGAGGCCACTTACTAGT 1260 Qy 979 GGTGTAGCGTATGCTTTGAAAGTCCCACACTCAGAAAGAGAGAAATTTGAAAAGGAGCAT 1038 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1261 GGTGTAGCGTATGCTTTGAAAGTCCCACACTCAGAAAGAGAGAAATTTGAAAAGGAGCAT 1320 Qy 1039 GGATGGGCAATAAAGAAAATGGAAACTGAGGACCAGACAGTTGTACAAGATTGTGTTCCT 1098 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1321 GGATGGGCAATAAAGAAAATGGAAACTGAGGACCAGACAGTTGTACAAGATTGTGTTCCT 1380 Qy 1099 GAAAACTTTGATCCCGCACCGATTCAAGACGAATACGCGCCAGTTATATTTGCTCAAGAA 1158 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1381 GAAAACTTTGATCCCGCACCGATTCAAGACGAATACGCGCCAGTTATATTTGCTCAAGAA 1440 Qy 1159 ACTGTTTCCCATATTGTATCGGTCGACATGATGTCTGGAGAA------------------ 1200 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1441 ACTGTTTCCCATATTGTATCGGTCGACATGATGTCTGGAGAAGTCAGTAACGTCTAAAAG 1500 Qy 1201 ------------------------------------------------------------ 1200 Db 1501 TTTCTTGAACTATTTTGCCAAACCAATGTCCTTAAAAGAGAATTCAAAAGTCTAACTATT 1560 Qy 1201 ------GAAGACCGTGAAAACATCTTACGGGCAAGGGCATCAGGAAAAGGAGTGTTAACA 1254 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1561 TTGCAGGAAGACCGTGAAAACATCTTACGGGCAAGGGCATCAGGAAAAGGAGTGTTAACA 1620 Qy 1255 TCTCCATTTAAGCTTCTTAAGTCAAATCATCTTGGTGTTGTGTTGACCTTTGCTGTCTAT 1314 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1621 TCTCCATTTAAGCTTCTTAAGTCAAATCATCTTGGTGTTGTGTTGACCTTTGCTGTCTAT 1680 Qy 1315 GACACGAGCCTACCGCCTGATGCTACAGAAGAACAGCGTGTTGAAGCAACTATTG----- 1369 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1681 GACACGAGCCTACCGCCTGATGCTACAGAAGAACAGCGTGTTGAAGCAACTATTGGGTAC 1740 Qy 1370 ------------------------------------------------------------ 1369 Db 1741 TACTTCTACTTAAAATGATTCTAGGACTGAAGAAATTGAACCTATGTAACAAAGAATGAT 1800 Qy 1370 ----------------------------------------GGTACCTTGGTGCATCATAT 1389 |||||||||||||||||||| Db 1801 CTCTGGACCAGAAAATATTAATAAGATACACTTAAAAACAGGTACCTTGGTGCATCATAT 1860 Qy 1390 GATATGCCATCGCTGGTGGAGAAACTTCTTCACCAACTTGCCAGCAAACAGACAATTGCT 1449 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1861 GATATGCCATCGCTGGTGGAGAAACTTCTTCACCAACTTGCCAGCAAACAGACAATTGCT 1920 Qy 1450 GTGGATGTTTACGACACAACTAACACTTCAGGTCTAATAAAAATGTATGGCTCAGAAATT 1509 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1921 GTGGATGTTTACGACACAACTAACACTTCAGGTCTAATAAAAATGTATGGCTCAGAAATT 1980 Qy 1510 GGGGATATAAGTGAGCAGCATATAAGTAGCCTTGATTTTGGTGATCCATCAAGGAACCAT 1569 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 1981 GGGGATATAAGTGAGCAGCATATAAGTAGCCTTGATTTTGGTGATCCATCAAGGAACCAT 2040 Qy 1570 GAGATGCATTG------------------------------------------------- 1580 ||||||||||| Db 2041 GAGATGCATTGCAGGTTAGTTAGCTCTAACTGTTATGGTACATTTTTATAAGATATGTTT 2100 Qy 1581 --------------------------------------------CAGGTTTAAGCATAAA 1596 |||||||||||||||| Db 2101 CACTTCTCTGTTTTCTGAAGTATGAAAGTGGCATTTTTCATTTACAGGTTTAAGCATAAA 2160 Qy 1597 CTTCCCATTCCCTGGACAGCGATAACACCGTCGATCTTAGTTCTGGTTATTACTTTTCTT 1656 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || Db 2161 CTTCCCATTCCCTGGACAGCGATAACACCGTCGATCTTAGTTCTGGTTATTACTTTTTTT 2220 Qy 1657 GTTGGTTATATTTTATATGAAGCCATCAACCGAATTGCGACAGTTGAAGAGGATTGTCAG 1716 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2221 GTTGGTTATATTTTATATGAAGCCATCAACCGAATTGCGACAGTTGAAGAGGATTGTCAG 2280 Qy 1717 AAGATGAGGGAACTCAAAGCTCGTGCTGAGGCCGCTGACATTGCAAAGTCA--------- 1767 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2281 AAGATGAGGGAACTCAAAGCTCGTGCTGAGGCCGCTGACATTGCAAAGTCACAGGTGATC 2340 Qy 1768 ------------------------------------------------------------ 1767 Db 2341 TTTGTGAATCATATAGTCTCAAAAGCTTTACTTGTTTTTTCACTGAAATGCTTCTTATTT 2400 Qy 1768 --CAGTTCCTAGCAACTGTTTCTCATGAGATACGGACTCCGATGAATGGAGTTTT----- 1820 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2401 TGCAGTTCCTAGCAACTGTTTCTCATGAGATACGGACTCCGATGAATGGAGTTTTAGGTA 2460 Qy 1821 ------------------------------------------------------------ 1820 Db 2461 CTTTTTCTACTTATCCTTGGTCAATATTGCATGTTCTCTTAAAATCAGCTGAAACGTTTA 2520 Qy 1821 -------------AGGAATGCTGAAAATGCTGATGGACACCGATCTTGATGCGAAGCAGA 1867 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2521 AGCATTTTGTTACAGGAATGCTGAAAATGCTGATGGACACCGATCTTGATGCGAAGCAGA 2580 Qy 1868 TGGACTATGCGCAAACTGCTCATGGCAGTGGGAAGGATCTTACATCACTAATAAATGAGG 1927 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2581 TGGACTATGCGCAAACTGCTCATGGCAGTGGGAAGGATCTTACATCACTAATAAATGAGG 2640 Qy 1928 TTCTTGATCAGGCAAAGATTGAATCCGGAAGGCTCGAGCTTGAAAATGTGCCTTTTGATA 1987 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2641 TTCTTGATCAGGCAAAGATTGAATCCGGAAGGCTCGAGCTTGAAAATGTGCCTTTTGATA 2700 Qy 1988 TGCGTTTTATTCTTGATAATGTTTCATCTCTCCTCTCTGGCAAGGCAAATGAAAAAGGAA 2047 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2701 TGCGTTTTATTCTTGATAATGTTTCATCTCTCCTCTCTGGCAAGGCAAATGAAAAAGGAA 2760 Qy 2048 TTG--------------------------------------------------------- 2050 ||| Db 2761 TTGAGGTATAATTATAAACTGCATGACCTTCTACTTTCTTAATGTTTTCATATGGCAAAC 2820 Qy 2051 -------------------------------------AGTTGGCCGTTTATGTTTCTAGT 2073 ||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2821 AAATTCCATATGTAATGAAATGTTGACTTCTTGTTACAGTTGGCCGTTTATGTTTCTAGT 2880 Qy 2074 CAAGTTCCTGATGTTGTAGTCGGTGATCCGAGTCGGTTCCGGCAGATCATTACAAACCTG 2133 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 2881 CAAGTTCCTGATGTTGTAGTCGGTGATCCGAGTCGGTTCCGGCAGATCATTACAAACCTG 2940 Qy 2134 GTTGGAAACTCAATCAAA------------------------------------------ 2151 |||||||||||||||||| Db 2941 GTTGGAAACTCAATCAAAGTAATTTACTCCTTACTTCTTACAGAACAACAGGCTTCACGA 3000 Qy 2152 --------------------------------------------TTCACACAGGAAAGGG 2167 |||||||||||||||| Db 3001 ATCTCTACTATTACAGTACTCATTTGTTATTTACTTAATAACAGTTCACACAGGAAAGGG 3060 Qy 2168 GACACATATTTATCTCAGTGCACCTTGCAGATGAGGTAAAGGAGCCTCTTACTATTGAAG 2227 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3061 GACACATATTTATCTCAGTGCACCTTGCAGATGAGGTAAAGGAGCCTCTTACTATTGAAG 3120 Qy 2228 ACGCAGTGCTAAAACAGCGACTAGCTTTAGGATGCAGCGAGTCCGGTGAGACAGTTAGCG 2287 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3121 ACGCAGTGCTAAAACAGCGACTAGCTTTAGGATGCAGCGAGTCCGGTGAGACAGTTAGCG 3180 Qy 2288 GGTTTCCTGCGGTAAATGCATGGGGAAGCTGGAAGAATTTCAAGACATGTTACAGTACTG 2347 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3181 GGTTTCCTGCGGTAAATGCATGGGGAAGCTGGAAGAATTTCAAGACATGTTACAGTACTG 3240 Qy 2348 AGAGTCAGAATTCTGATCAAATCAAATTGCTAGTTACAGTGGAGGACACTGGAGTTGGCA 2407 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3241 AGAGTCAGAATTCTGATCAAATCAAATTGCTAGTTACAGTGGAGGACACTGGAGTTGGCA 3300 Qy 2408 TACCTGTGGATGCACAAGGCCGAATCTTCACACCTTTTATGCAAGCCGACAGTTCCACAT 2467 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3301 TACCTGTGGATGCACAAGGCCGAATCTTCACACCTTTTATGCAAGCCGACAGTTCCACAT 3360 Qy 2468 CGCGGACTTATGGTGGAACTGGCATAGGTTTGAGTATAAGCAAACGTTTGGTTGAACTCA 2527 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3361 CGCGGACTTATGGTGGAACTGGCATAGGTTTGAGTATAAGCAAACGTTTGGTTGAACTCA 3420 Qy 2528 TGCAAGGAGAGATGGGGTTTGTGAGTGAGCCCGGGATAGGCAGTACTTTTTCATTTACTG 2587 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3421 TGCAAGGAGAGATGGGGTTTGTGAGTGAGCCCGGGATAGGCAGTACTTTTTCATTTACTG 3480 Qy 2588 GAGTTTTCGGGAAAGCAGAAACAAATACGTCGATTACTAAGCTGGAACGATTCGATCTAG 2647 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3481 GAGTTTTCGGGAAAGCAGAAACAAATACGTCGATTACTAAGCTGGAACGATTCGATCTAG 3540 Qy 2648 CTATTCAGGAGTTTACAGGATTGAGAGCATTAGTTATTGATAACAGAAACATTAGAGCAG 2707 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3541 CTATTCAGGAGTTTACAGGATTGAGAGCATTAGTTATTGATAACAGAAACATTAGAGCAG 3600 Qy 2708 AGGTCACCAGGTACGAACTTCGGAGACTGGGAATATCTGCAGACATTGTTTCAAGTCTGA 2767 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3601 AGGTCACCAGGTACGAACTTCGGAGACTGGGAATATCTGCAGACATTGTTTCAAGTCTGA 3660 Qy 2768 GAATGGCATGCACTTGTTGTAT-------------------------------------- 2789 |||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3661 GAATGGCATGCACTTGTTGTATCAGGTACTTTACGTACATTAGTGTCTGTCTGTCTTTAG 3720 Qy 2790 ------------------------------------------------CAGCAAATTAGA 2801 |||||||||||| Db 3721 AGATTATAGTGAGTTCACTAAAAGCGTTTTATTGTTCTGGAATCTTTGCAGCAAATTAGA 3780 Qy 2802 AAATTTGGCTATGATTCTAATAGACAAAGACGCCTGGAACAAGGAAGAATTTTCAGTACT 2861 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3781 AAATTTGGCTATGATTCTAATAGACAAAGACGCCTGGAACAAGGAAGAATTTTCAGTACT 3840 Qy 2862 TGACGAGTTGTTTACCCGAAGCAAAGTAACCTTTACAAGAGTCCCAAAGATTTTTCTTTT 2921 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3841 TGACGAGTTGTTTACCCGAAGCAAAGTAACCTTTACAAGAGTCCCAAAGATTTTTCTTTT 3900 Qy 2922 GGCAACTTCTGCAACTCTTACTGAGCGCAGTGAGATGAAGTCTACTGGTCTCATCGATGA 2981 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3901 GGCAACTTCTGCAACTCTTACTGAGCGCAGTGAGATGAAGTCTACTGGTCTCATCGATGA 3960 Qy 2982 GGTGGTGATAAAGCCTCTTCGGATGAGTGTCTTAATATGTTGCTTGCAAGAAACCCTTGT 3041 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 3961 GGTGGTGATAAAGCCTCTTCGGATGAGTGTCTTAATATGTTGCTTGCAAGAAACCCTTGT 4020 Qy 3042 CAATGGCAAGAAGAGGCAACCGAACAGACAGCGAAGAAATCTTGGACACTTGCTAAGAGA 3101 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4021 CAATGGCAAGAAGAGGCAACCGAACAGACAGCGAAGAAATCTTGGACACTTGCTAAGAGA 4080 Qy 3102 AAAACAGATTCTGGTTGTGGATGATAATCTTGTGAACAGACGAGTTGCAGAAGGTGCACT 3161 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4081 AAAACAGATTCTGGTTGTGGATGATAATCTTGTGAACAGACGAGTTGCAGAAGGTGCACT 4140 Qy 3162 TAAGAAATATGGAGCTATTGTTACATGCGTTGAGAGTGGCAAAGCTGCATTGGCAATGCT 3221 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4141 TAAGAAATATGGAGCTATTGTTACATGCGTTGAGAGTGGCAAAGCTGCATTGGCAATGCT 4200 Qy 3222 TAAGCCGCCTCATAACTTCGATGCTTGCTTCATGGATCTCCAGATGCCTGAAATGGATG- 3280 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4201 TAAGCCGCCTCATAACTTCGATGCTTGCTTCATGGATCTCCAGATGCCTGAAATGGATGG 4260 Qy 3281 ------------------------------------------------------------ 3280 Db 4261 GTAGATAACTATTTTTCAATCTTATCTCTTCAGCTTGTTCATTTCTTGGATGTCGTCCTT 4320 Qy 3281 ------------------------GATTTGAAGCGACAAGGAGAGTCCGTGAGCTGGAGA 3316 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4321 GGTAACTTTATAATTTTTTGCGCAGATTTGAAGCGACAAGGAGAGTCCGTGAGCTGGAGA 4380 Qy 3317 GGGAAATCAATAAGAAAATAGCTTCTGGAGAAGTTTCAGCTGAAATGTTCTGTAAATTTA 3376 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4381 GGGAAATCAATAAGAAAATAGCTTCTGGAGAAGTTTCAGCTGAAATGTTCTGTAAATTTA 4440 Qy 3377 GTAGTTGGCACGTCCCGATATTAGCAATGACAGCAGATGTTATTCAGGCTACTCATGAAG 3436 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4441 GTAGTTGGCACGTCCCGATATTAGCAATGACAGCAGATGTTATTCAGGCTACTCATGAAG 4500 Qy 3437 AATGCATGAAATGTGGAATGGATGGTTATGTATCAAAACCGTTTGAAGAGGAAGTGCTCT 3496 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4501 AATGCATGAAATGTGGAATGGATGGTTATGTATCAAAACCGTTTGAAGAGGAAGTGCTCT 4560 Qy 3497 ACACAGCGGTAGCAAGATTCTTTGAACCTTGTTAA 3531 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Db 4561 ACACAGCGGTAGCAAGATTCTTTGAACCTTGTTAA 4595 Claim(s) 14-15 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Schmulling et al (US 9127073 B2) and Meister et al (WO 2006/057832 A2) as applied to claims 1-13 and 16-17 and further in view of the prior art, Debnath 2005 (HortScience 40(1): p. 189-192) for example. Claim 14 is drawn to the method of claim 1 wherein the plant cell is incubated at least 5 weeks in a medium comprising cytokinin prior to dissecting for de novo shoot formation. Claim 15 is drawn to the method of claim 1 where in the plant cell is a cell of a recalcitrant plant. Schmulling and Meister teach all the limitations of claim 1 (see rejection above). Schmulling and Meister do not teach that the plant needs to be incubated at least 5 weeks prior to dissection or that the plant is recalcitrant. The prior art collectively teaches that time required for regeneration of a plant from tissue culture is highly variably depending on the species and even variety within a species is being used. For example, Debnath teaches a tissue culture-based propagation method for lingonberry which used an 8-week incubation on cytokinin containing media prior to dissection. Lignonberry can be considered recalcitrant as it is woody species. Note that neither claim 1 nor claim 14 are limited to any species, let alone variety. As such, the requirement of an incubation time of at least 5 weeks is obvious as such a timeframe would be standard for certain types of plants. As such, claims 14-15 are rejected as being obvious over Schmulling and Meister further in view of Debnath. Conclusion No claims are allowed. Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to MATTHEW R KEOGH whose telephone number is (571)272-2960. The examiner can normally be reached M-Th 7-4:30, half day on Fridays. 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, Amjad Abraham can be reached on 571-270-7058. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300. Information regarding the status of published or unpublished applications may be obtained from Patent Center. Unpublished application information in Patent Center is available to registered users. To file and manage patent submissions in Patent Center, visit: https://patentcenter.uspto.gov. Visit https://www.uspto.gov/patents/apply/patent-center for more information about Patent Center and https://www.uspto.gov/patents/docx for information about filing in DOCX format. For additional questions, contact the Electronic Business Center (EBC) at 866-217-9197 (toll-free). If you would like assistance from a USPTO Customer Service Representative, call 800-786-9199 (IN USA OR CANADA) or 571-272-1000. /MATTHEW R KEOGH/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1663
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Prosecution Timeline

Aug 11, 2025
Application Filed
Jul 16, 2026
Non-Final Rejection mailed — §103 (current)

Precedent Cases

Applications granted by this same examiner with similar technology

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Study what changed to get past this examiner. Based on 5 most recent grants.

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Prosecution Projections

1-2
Expected OA Rounds
78%
Grant Probability
93%
With Interview (+14.5%)
2y 7m (~1y 7m remaining)
Median Time to Grant
Low
PTA Risk
Based on 705 resolved cases by this examiner. Grant probability derived from career allowance rate.

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