{
  "patent_number": "US 12735713",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Tracking Plant Microbes with Their Natural DNA Barcodes",
  "original_title": "Plant colonization assays using natural microbial barcodes",
  "summary": "This patent describes a method to track how microbes colonize plant roots by using and reconfiguring their naturally occurring DNA sequences as unique tags.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent details methods for tracking microbial colonization on plant root systems. It uses specific DNA sequences, called \"nucleic acid barcodes,\" which naturally exist in microbial cells, along with nearby \"amplifying sites.\" These natural genetic elements are then reconfigured into a single, easy-to-use \"nucleic acid cassette.\" This cassette allows researchers to tag different microbial species, strains, or variants, each with a unique barcode. By tracking these barcoded cells, the patent enables assays to measure the relative ability of different microbes to colonize a plant root system. For example, scientists could tag different beneficial bacteria and see which ones are best at attaching to and growing on corn roots.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover tracking microbial colonization in animals or humans, as the focus is specifically on \"plant root systems.\"",
    "Does not cover using entirely synthetic or artificially engineered barcodes that do not naturally occur within the microbial cells.",
    "Does not cover tracking microbes on other parts of a plant, such as leaves, stems, or flowers, as the abstract specifies \"plant root system.\"",
    "Does not cover methods that measure the absolute quantity of microbial colonization, but rather focuses on \"relative microbial colonization ability.\"",
    "Does not cover tagging methods that rely on non-nucleic acid components, such as protein markers or fluorescent dyes."
  ],
  "filed": "2025-07-28",
  "granted": "2026-09-15",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": null,
  "holder_url": null,
  "inventors": [],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "agriculture",
    "plant_science",
    "gene_editing"
  ],
  "abstract": "The present disclosure is drawn to methods of utilizing nucleic acid barcodes and corresponding amplifying sites in cells in which the barcodes naturally occur. These barcodes and amplifying sites are reconfigured into a single nucleic acid cassette that provides for ease of use in tagging particular species, strains, or variants of cells, each with a different barcode. These barcodes can be used to track the colonization capabilities of the barcoded cells. The present disclosure further provides for assays that utilize natural barcodes to measure relative microbial colonization ability of a plant root system.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12735713/plant-colonization-assays-using-natural-microbial-barcodes",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/12735713/plant-colonization-assays-using-natural-microbial-barcodes/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US12735713",
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}