# Boosting Plant Gene Editing and Regeneration with Special Genes > This patent describes a method to make plant genetic engineering more efficient by adding specific genes that encourage plant cells to divide and grow, making it easier to create new plants with desired traits. - **Patent:** US 12416013 - **Original title:** Method for improving plant genetic transformation and gene editing efficiency - **Owner:** Tianjin Genovo Biotechnology Co - **Granted:** 2025 - **Status:** Active - **Times cited:** 1 - **Field:** biotech, agriculture, gene_editing ## What it does This method improves how well plant cells regenerate into whole plants and how efficiently genes can be edited or added. It works by introducing specific combinations of genes into a plant cell. For example, Claim 1 describes introducing an expression construct containing the WUS, BBM, and SERK genes (or GRF and GIF genes, or the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 22) to boost the plant cell's ability to regenerate. Claim 2 applies this same gene introduction step to help transform a plant with an "exogenous nucleic acid sequence of interest," meaning a new piece of DNA. Claim 3 extends this to gene editing, where the introduced genes help a gene editing system (like CRISPR) work better to modify the plant's own DNA. After these genes are introduced, an intact plant is regenerated from the modified cell. ## What it does NOT cover - Does not cover plant genetic transformation or gene editing methods that do not involve introducing the specific WUS, BBM, SERK, GRF, GIF, or SEQ ID NO: 22 nucleic acid sequences. - Does not cover methods that improve plant regeneration or gene editing using entirely different sets of cell division-promoting genes. - Does not cover genetic modification techniques that do not require regenerating an intact plant from a single plant cell. - Does not cover gene editing or genetic transformation in animals, fungi, or other non-plant organisms. - Does not cover methods where the WUS, BBM, and SERK genes are not introduced together, unless the GRF and GIF genes or SEQ ID NO: 22 are used instead. ## The clever bit The clever bit is identifying and leveraging specific combinations of known plant developmental genes (WUS, BBM, SERK, GRF, GIF) to significantly overcome the inherent difficulty of regenerating whole plants from genetically modified cells. This targeted genetic intervention directly addresses a major bottleneck in plant biotechnology. ## Real-world examples 1. Development of disease-resistant corn varieties 2. Creation of drought-tolerant soybean plants 3. Engineering rice with enhanced nutritional content 4. Accelerated breeding of new crop varieties through gene editing ## Why it matters Plant genetic engineering is a crucial technology for developing crops with improved traits like disease resistance, higher yields, or enhanced nutritional value. The ability to efficiently regenerate a whole plant from a single modified cell is often a bottleneck in this process. By making this step more efficient, this patent could accelerate the development and testing of new genetically modified or gene-edited crops, potentially leading to more resilient and productive agricultural systems. ## Frequently asked questions ### What does Boosting Plant Gene Editing and Regeneration with Special Genes cover? This patent describes a method to make plant genetic engineering more efficient by adding specific genes that encourage plant cells to divide and grow, making it easier to create new plants with desired traits. ### Who owns patent US 12416013? Tianjin Genovo Biotechnology Co owns this patent, granted in 2025. ### When does this patent expire? This patent is expected to expire on March 19, 2041, when the invention enters the public domain. ### What is patent US 12416013 cited by? This patent has been cited by 1 later patents that build on its ideas. ### What problem does this patent solve? Plant genetic engineering is a crucial technology for developing crops with improved traits like disease resistance, higher yields, or enhanced nutritional value. The ability to efficiently regenerate a whole plant from a single modified cell is often a bottleneck in this process. By making this step more efficient, this patent could accelerate the development and testing of new genetically modified or gene-edited crops, potentially leading to more resilient and productive agricultural systems. ### What does this patent NOT cover? Does not cover plant genetic transformation or gene editing methods that do not involve introducing the specific WUS, BBM, SERK, GRF, GIF, or SEQ ID NO: 22 nucleic acid sequences. **Full plain-English explainer:** https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12416013/method-for-improving-plant-genetic-transformation-and-gene-editing-efficiency **Original patent:** https://patents.google.com/patent/US12416013 --- _Source: PatentBrief — https://patentbrief.org. Patent facts are from public records; the plain-English explanation is PatentBrief's._ ## Related patents Semantically similar inventions in the PatentBrief corpus: - [How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8697359/crispr-gene-editing) — This patent describes an engineered CRISPR-Cas9 system for precisely cutting DNA in eukaryotic cells to change how genes work, opening the door for gene editing in complex organisms. - [Highly Efficient Bacterial Gene Editing Using Guide RNA and Reverse Transcriptase](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20180127759/dynamic-genome-engineering) — This patent describes a system for precisely editing the DNA of bacterial cells with very high success rates, using a combination of guide RNA, reverse transcriptase, and specific DNA sequences. - [How CRISPR-Cas9 Uses RNA to Edit DNA](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/10113167/methods-and-compositions-for-rna-directed-target-dna-modification-and-for-rna-directed-modulation-of-transcription) — This patent describes the fundamental mechanism of using a two-part RNA system to guide the Cas9 protein to specific locations in DNA for precise editing. - [How to Precisely Edit Genes Using Retron-Guide RNA Cassettes](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/20230383290/high-throughput-precision-genome-editing) — This patent describes a method for highly efficient and precise genome editing using a retron-guide RNA cassette to deliver large pieces of donor DNA into a cell's genetic material. - [How Scientists First Made DNA Replicate in New Cells](https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4237224/cohen-boyer-recombinant-dna) — This 1980 patent describes a method for cutting and pasting DNA pieces in a lab to create new, self-replicating genetic material that can be inserted into bacteria, a foundational technique for genetic engineering.