Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
30 words
A non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule which hybridizes to a (−) strand replicative intermediate of a plant virus, virusoid, or a viroid, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a ribozyme.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
A non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule which hybridizes to a (−) strand replicative intermediate of a plant virus, virusoid, or a viroid, wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a ribozyme.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
27 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the nucleic acid molecule comprises a plurality of ribozymes wherein each ribozyme may be the same or different.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the ribozyme is a hairpin ribozyme, a hammerhead ribozyme, a minizyme, or an RNAase P ribozyme.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 3 , wherein the ribozyme is a hammerhead ribozyme.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
35 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the virus is a tobamovirus, a tobravirus, a hordeivirus, a potexvirus, a carlavirus, a potyvirus, a closterovirus, a tymovirus, a tombusvirus, a sobemovirus, or a luteovirus.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
100 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the virus is a potato yellow dwarf virus, a cucumber mosaic virus, a tomato spotted wilt virus, a tomato mosaic virus, a potato virus X, a potato virus Y (PVY), a carnation latent virus, a tomato rattle virus, a pea early browning virus, a barley stripe mosaic virus, a turnip yellow mosaic virus, a barley yellow dwarf virus, a beet yellows virus, a potato leaf roll virus, a tomato bushy stunt virus, a southern bean mosaic virus, a maize chlorotic virus, beet necrotic yellow vein virus, or a tobacco necrosis virus.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
61 words
The nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , wherein the viroid is avocado sunblotch viroid (ASBV), burdock stunt viroid (BSV), chrysanthemum chlorotic mottle viroid (CCMV), chrysanthemum stunt viroid (CSV), citrus exocortis viroid (CEV), coconut cadang-cadang viroid (CCCV), cucumber pale fruit viroid (CPFV), hop stunt viroid (HSV), potato-spindle tuber viroid (PSTV), tomato bunchy top viroid (TBTV), or tomato “planta macho” viroid (TPMV).
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
The non-naturally occurring nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 , which hybridizes to a (−) strand replicative intermediate of the citrus exocortis viroid (CEV).
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
14 words
A DNA molecule which codes for the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
26 words
A transfer vector comprised of RNA or DNA containing a nucleotide sequence which on transcription gives rise to the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
32 words
A process for rendering a plant resistant to viral infection which comprises introducing into the plant a gene which on transcription gives rise to the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
44 words
The process of claim 11 , wherein the introduction of the gene is made by genetic transformation of a part of the plant by a DNA molecule having a sequence coding for the nucleic acid molecule, followed by the regeneration of a transgenic plant.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
21 words
The process of claim 12 , wherein the transformation is carried out by the intermediary of Agrobacterium tumefaciens or Agrobacterium rhizogenes.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process for rendering plant cells resistant to viral infection which comprises treating the plant cells with the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 .
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The process of claim 14 , wherein the plant cells are of Lycopersicon lycopersicum.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
51 words
A method of interfering with the replication of a plant virus having a (−) replicative strand, which comprises contacting a plant cell with the nucleic acid molecule of claim 1 or the DNA molecule of claim 9 so as to thereby inhibit the replication of the plant virus in that cell.