Disclaimers and their use in the European patent practice - Outside the scope of protection

The protection sought for an invention in a patent application is defined in the claims, which should be clear and concise and supported by the description. The subject-matter of a claim is usually defined by positive features, which show that the subject-matter comprises certain technical elements. Existing claims may, however, in exceptional situations be amended by adding a negative feature, i.e. a disclaimer. Typically, a disclaimer is used to exclude certain embodiments or areas from a broad claim or feature. Three different situations may be defined wherein disclaimers may be used: 1) a disclaimer disclosed in the application as filed; 2) a disclaimer excluding subject-matter disclosed in the application as filed; and 3) an undisclosed disclaimer, wherein neither the disclaimer nor the excluded subject-matter is disclosed. The use and allowability of disclaimers are elucidated here in particular in view of the decisions of the Boards of Appeal of the European Patent Office.Patenttihakemuksella keksinnölle haettava suoja määritellään patenttivaatimuksissa, joiden tulee olla selkeitä ja ytimekkäitä ja joille tulee olla tuki selityksessä. Patenttivaatimuksen kohde määritellään tavallisesti positiivisten määritteiden kautta, jotka osoittavat, että vaatimuksen kohteessa on tiettyjä teknisiä elementtejä. Olemassa olevia patenttivaatimuksia voidaan kuitenkin poikkeuksellisissa tilanteissa muuttaa lisäämällä negatiivinen määrite tai piirre eli erottamislausuma (disclaimer). Tyypillisesti sillä rajataan pois laajasta piirteestä tai vaatimuksesta joitakin sovellutusmuotoja tai alueita. Voidaan katsoa olevan kolme eri tapausta, joissa erottamislausumaa voidaan käyttää: 1) erottamislausuma, joka on esitetty alkuperäisessä hakemuksessa eli hakemuksessa siinä muodossa, kun se on jätetty; 2) erottamislausuma, joka rajaa pois alkuperäisessä hakemuksessa julkituotuja keksinnön kohteita; ja 3) erottamislausuma, jota ei ole esitetty alkuperäisessä hakemuksessa ja joka rajaa pois keksinnön kohteita, joita ei ole tuotu julki hakemuksessa. Erottamislausumien käyttöä ja hyväksyttävyyttä valotetaan tässä työssä etupäässä Euroopan patenttiviraston valituslautakuntien päätösten perusteella

In planta dynamics, transport biases, and endogenous functions of mobile siRNAs in Arabidopsis

In RNA interference (RNAi), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) produced from double-stranded RNA guide ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins to silence sequence-complementary RNA/DNA. RNAi can propagate locally and systemically in plants, but despite recent advances in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, basic questions remain unaddressed. For instance, RNAi is inferred to diffuse through plasmodesmata (PDs), yet how its dynamics in planta compares with that of established symplastic diffusion markers remains unknown. Also is why select siRNA species, or size classes thereof, are apparently recovered in RNAi recipient tissues, yet only under some experimental settings. Shootward movement of endogenous RNAi in micro-grafted Arabidopsis is also yet to be achieved, while potential endogenous functions of mobile RNAi remain scarcely documented. Here, we show (i) that temporal, localized PD occlusion in source leaves' companion cells (CCs) suffices to abrogate all systemic manifestations of CC-activated mobile transgene silencing, including in sink leaves; (ii) that the presence or absence of specific AGOs in incipient/traversed/recipient tissues likely explains the apparent siRNA length selectivity observed upon vascular movement; (iii) that stress enhancement allows endo-siRNAs of a single inverted repeat (IR) locus to translocate against the shoot-to-root phloem flow; and (iv) that mobile endo-siRNAs generated from this locus have the potential to regulate hundreds of transcripts. Our results close important knowledge gaps, rationalize previously noted inconsistencies between mobile RNAi settings, and provide a framework for mobile endo-siRNA research.ISSN:0960-7412ISSN:1365-313

In planta dynamics, transport biases, and endogenous functions of mobile siRNAs in Arabidopsis.

In RNA interference (RNAi), small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) produced from double-stranded RNA guide ARGONAUTE (AGO) proteins to silence sequence-complementary RNA/DNA. RNAi can propagate locally and systemically in plants, but despite recent advances in our understanding of the underlying mechanisms, basic questions remain unaddressed. For instance, RNAi is inferred to diffuse through plasmodesmata (PDs), yet how its dynamics in planta compares with that of established symplastic diffusion markers remains unknown. Also is why select siRNA species, or size classes thereof, are apparently recovered in RNAi recipient tissues, yet only under some experimental settings. Shootward movement of endogenous RNAi in micro-grafted Arabidopsis is also yet to be achieved, while potential endogenous functions of mobile RNAi remain scarcely documented. Here, we show (i) that temporal, localized PD occlusion in source leaves' companion cells (CCs) suffices to abrogate all systemic manifestations of CC-activated mobile transgene silencing, including in sink leaves; (ii) that the presence or absence of specific AGOs in incipient/traversed/recipient tissues likely explains the apparent siRNA length selectivity observed upon vascular movement; (iii) that stress enhancement allows endo-siRNAs of a single inverted repeat (IR) locus to translocate against the shoot-to-root phloem flow; and (iv) that mobile endo-siRNAs generated from this locus have the potential to regulate hundreds of transcripts. Our results close important knowledge gaps, rationalize previously noted inconsistencies between mobile RNAi settings, and provide a framework for mobile endo-siRNA research

Phloem-transported cytokinin regulates polar auxin transport and maintains vascular pattern in the root meristem

Cytokinin phytohormones regulate a variety of developmental processes in the root such as meristem size, vascular pattern, and root architecture [1, 2 and 3]. Long-distance transport of cytokinin is supported by the discovery of cytokinins in xylem and phloem sap [4] and by grafting experiments between wild-type and cytokinin biosynthesis mutants [5]. Acropetal transport of cytokinin (toward the shoot apex) has also been implicated in the control of shoot branching [6]. However, neither the mode of transport nor a developmental role has been shown for basipetal transport of cytokinin (toward the root apex). In this paper, we combine the use of a new technology that blocks symplastic connections in the phloem with a novel approach to visualize radiolabeled hormones in planta to examine the basipetal transport of cytokinin. We show that this occurs through symplastic connections in the phloem. The reduction of cytokinin levels in the phloem leads to a destabilization of the root vascular pattern in a manner similar to mutants affected in auxin transport or cytokinin signaling [7]. Together, our results demonstrate a role for long-distance basipetal transport of cytokinin in controlling polar auxin transport and maintaining the vascular pattern in the root meristem

Comparative study of sugar fermentation and protein expression patterns of two Lactobacillus plantarum strains grown in three Different Media

v2008okBEL/BM

Comparison of Tuber Proteomes of Potato Varieties, Landraces, and Genetically Modified Lines

Crop improvement by genetic modification remains controversial, one of the major issues being the potential for unintended effects. Comparative safety assessment includes targeted analysis of key nutrients and antinutritional factors, but broader scale-profiling or “omics” methods could increase the chances of detecting unintended effects. Comparative assessment should consider the extent of natural variation and not simply compare genetically modified (GM) lines and parental controls. In this study, potato (Solanum tuberosum) proteome diversity has been assessed using a range of diverse non-GM germplasm. In addition, a selection of GM potato lines was compared to assess the potential for unintended differences in protein profiles. Clear qualitative and quantitative differences were found in the protein patterns of the varieties and landraces examined, with 1,077 of 1,111 protein spots analyzed showing statistically significant differences. The diploid species Solanum phureja could be clearly differentiated from tetraploid (Solanum tuberosum) genotypes. Many of the proteins apparently contributing to genotype differentiation are involved in disease and defense responses, the glycolytic pathway, and sugar metabolism or protein targeting/storage. Only nine proteins out of 730 showed significant differences between GM lines and their controls. There was much less variation between GM lines and their non-GM controls compared with that found between different varieties and landraces. A number of proteins were identified by mass spectrometry and added to a potato tuber two-dimensional protein map