Opinion ID: 613961
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The '247E Patent

Text: On August 22, 2006, the PTO reissued U.S. Patent No. 5,633,435 ('435 Patent) as the '247E Patent for glyphosate-tolerant 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthases [(EPSPS)]. The invention of the '247E Patent involves the transformation of plant cellsusing, for example, the CaMV promoters disclosed in the '605 Patentto transform plant cells with novel protein-encoding gene sequences that encode for EPSPS, a glyphosate-tolerant enzyme. These genetically modified plants express EPSPS and exhibit glyphosate resistance. '247E Patent, col.1 11.15-46. The advantage of this technology, which can be incorporated into a variety of crops, is that farmers can treat their fields with glyphosate-based herbicide to control weed growth without damaging their crops. Monsanto alleges infringement of seventeen claims of the '247E Patent. Representative claims 103, 116, 122, 128, 129, and 130 cover: 103. A recombinant, double-stranded DNA molecule comprising in sequence: (a) a promoter which functions in plant cells to cause the production of an RNA sequence; (b) a structural DNA sequence that causes the production of an RNA sequence which encodes an EPSPS enzyme having the sequence of SEQ ID NO:70; and (c) a 3' non-translated region that functions in plant cells to cause the addition of a stretch of polyadenyl nucleotides to the 3' end of the RNA sequence; where the promoter is heterologous with respect to the structural DNA sequence and adapted to cause sufficient expression of the encoded EPSPS enzyme to enhance the glyphosate tolerance of a plant cell transformed with the DNA molecule. 116. A glyphosate-tolerant plant cell comprising a DNA sequence encoding and EPSPS enzyme having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70. 122. A seed of the plant of claim 116, wherein the seed comprises the DNA sequence encoding an EPSPS enzyme having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 70. 128. A glyphosate[-]tolerant plant cell comprising the recombinant DNA molecule of claim 103. 129. A plant comprising the glyphosate[-]tolerant plant cell of claim 128. 130. A method for selectively controlling weeds in a field containing a crop having planted crop seeds or plants comprising the steps of: (a) planting the crop seeds or plants which are glyphosate-tolerant as a result of a recombinant double-stranded DNA molecule being inserted into the crop seed or plant . . . (b) applying to the crop and weeds in the field a sufficient amount of glyphosate herbicide to control the weeds without significantly affecting the crop. '247E Patent, col.164 11.15-29; col.165 11.18-20, 30-32, 45-55; col.166 11.3-5 (emphases added to reflect breadth of coverage).