Conifers

Summary

Botanical aspects

Conifers is a major group within the Gymnosperms plants (plants with naked seeds that appear in a cone). They usually have needle-shaped or scale-like leaves, and nearly all are evergreen. The trees have a conical shape and have cones for pollen and seed production.

Within Conifers, Pinus is the largest genus with about 120 species. It is also the most widespread genus of trees in the Northern Hemisphere. The natural distribution of pines ranges from arctic and subarctic regions of Eurasia and North America to subtropical and tropical (usually montane) regions of Central America and Asia. Pines are also extensively planted in temperate regions of the Southern Hemisphere. Many pines are fast growing species tolerant of poor soils and relatively arid conditions, making them popular in reforestation. Due to their occurrence in some very cold and dry environments where disease and stand-destroying disturbance are rare, pines are collectively the most long-lived of conifers. Ages of over 1000 years are common for some pine species.

Important pine products include wood, turpentine, and edible seeds. The wood of several Pinus species (e.g. P. elliottii) is widely used for construction. Synthetic products derived from turpentine (e.g. terpin, anethole, camphor, and dl-menthol) are used in pharmaceutical preparations (e.g. expectorant in humans), in perfumery, in the elaboration of cigarettes, cosmetics, toilet products, and to impart flavor in different products.

IP aspects

There are a couple of patents directed to transformation of conifers by microprojectile bombardment, but very few related to transformation through Agrobacterium.

A United States patent on transformation of pine tissue with Agrobacterium was granted to North Carolina State University in 1989. The patent claims a method for the transformation of a differentiated tissue of pine with A. tumefaciens. The strain of A. tumefaciens used for transformation can be selected from: a strain capable of causing crown gall, a strain with a co-integrated Ti-plasmid and a strain with a binary vector system.

Recently, Genesis Research and Development Corporation has filed a United States patent application directed to transformation of nodal stem segments of a plant from the genus Pinus with Agrobacterium.

The information contained in this page was believed to be correct at the time it was collated. New patents and patent applications, altered status of patents, and case law may have resulted in changes in the landscape. CAMBIA makes no warranty that it is correct or up to date at this time and accepts no liability for any use that might be made of it. Corrections or updates to the information are welcome. Please send an email to info@bios.net.

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