US PATENT SUBCLASS 435 / 440
PROCESS OF MUTATION, CELL FUSION, OR GENETIC MODIFICATION

Current as of: June, 1999
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435 /   HD   CHEMISTRY: MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND MICROBIOLOGY

440PROCESS OF MUTATION, CELL FUSION, OR GENETIC MODIFICATION {6}
441  DF  .~> Mutation employing a chemical mutagenic agent {4}
446  DF  .~> Mutation employing radiation or electricity {2}
449  DF  .~> Fusion of cells {5}
455  DF  .~> Introduction of a polynucleotide molecule into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within an animal cell {11}
468  DF  .~> Introduction of a polynucleotide molecule into or rearrangement of a nucleic acid within a plant cell {2}
471  DF  .~> Introduction of a polynucleotide molecule into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within a microorganism (e.g., bacteria, protozoa, bacteriophage, etc.) {6}

DEFINITION

Classification: 435/440

PROCESS OF MUTATION, CELL FUSION, OR GENETIC MODIFICATION:

(under the class definition) Processes for (1) producing a mutation in an animal cell, plant cell or microorganism, (2) fusing animal, plant, or microbial cells, (3) producing a stable and heritable change in the genotype of an animal cell, plant cell, or a microorganism by artificially inducing a structural change in a gene or by incorporation of genetic material from an outside source, or (4) producing a transient change in the genotype of an animal cell, plant cell, or microorganism by the incorporation of genetic material from an outside source.

(1) Note. A mutation is a change produced in cellular DNA which can be either spontaneous, caused by an environmental factor or errors in DNA replication, or induced by physical or chemical conditions. The processes of mutation included in this and indented subclasses are processes directed to production of essentially random changes to the DNA of an animal cell, plant cell, or a microorganism without incorporation of exogenous DNA. It should be noted that incorporation of exogenous genetic material into a cell or microorganism or rearrangement of genetic material within a cell or microorganism is not considered a mutation; see the SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS references below.

(2) Note. For the purposes of this and indented subclasses, in vitro mutagenesis, which is a method where cloned DNA is

modified outside of the cell or microorganism and then incorporated into a cell or microorganism is not considered to be a mutation. see the SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS references below.

(3) Note. Genetic material from an outside source may include chemically synthesized or modified genes.

(4) Note. For purposes of this and indented subclasses, transient changes effected by incorporation of genetic material from an outside source involve expression of one or more phenotypic traits encoded by said genetic material. A transient change is one which is passing or of short duration. Methods producing nongenetically encoded changes effected by a nucleic acid molecule, such as antisense nucleic acid, are not proper for this and indented subclasses.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

375, for treating an animal cell with an antisense nucleic acid thereby altering cell metabolism or physiology. 455+, for processes of introducing nucleic acid into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within an animal cell.

468+, for processes of introducing nucleic acid into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within a plant cell.

471+, for processes of introducing nucleic acid into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within a microorganism.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

800, Multicellular Living Organisms and Unmodified Parts Thereof and Related Processes, for processes of mutation, cell fusion, and genetic modification resulting in a whole living multicellular organism (nonhuman animal or plant) and the resulting nonhuman animal or plant, per se.