Transgenic stress-tolerance trait boosting crop yield and
This technology involves genetically engineering plants to overexpress a specific enzyme (glucuronic acid reductase) that boosts the plant's natural production of vitamin C and strengthens its cell walls. The result is plants that grow faster, produce more biomass, and can better survive environmental stresses like drought or oxidative damage. The approach targets a metabolic network that links antioxidant production to cell wall construction, meaning a single genetic modification delivers multiple performance benefits. The core innovation is identifying and using a specific Arabidopsis gene sequence to reliably achieve these improvements across plant species.
What you could build
A licensed transgenic trait inserted into commercial crop or bioenergy plant varieties (e.g., switchgrass, soybean, or sugarcane) that delivers higher yield and stress resilience; seed companies or bioenergy feedstock developers would be the buyers.
Who in Virginia should care
Virginia has significant agricultural extension activity and bioenergy crop research (e.g., switchgrass programs at Virginia Tech); ag biotech licensors or mid-size seed trait companies operating in the mid-Atlantic region would be natural contacts.
Readiness: Lab validated
Concept — described but not yet demonstrated. Lab validated — supported by experimental results in the patent. Prototype likely — the text describes a built, working embodiment.
Readiness is inferred from the patent text, not from a lab visit.
The record
- Inventors
- Craig L. Nessler, Argelia Lorence, Boris Chevone, Pedro Mendes
- Granted
- April 7, 2015
- Status
- Granted patent
- Patent number
- 9000267
Ready to talk?
Virginia Tech Intellectual Properties handles licensing for this technology.
Prosim summaries are generated from public patent text and are not legal advice.