US PATENT SUBCLASS 435 / 480
.~.~.~ Plasmid or episome contains at least part of a gene encoding a toxin or encoding for virulence or pathogenicity

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

440  DF  PROCESS OF MUTATION, CELL FUSION, OR GENETIC MODIFICATION {6}
471  DF  .~ Introduction of a polynucleotide molecule into or rearrangement of nucleic acid within a microorganism (e.g., bacteria, protozoa, bacteriophage, etc.) {6}
476  DF  .~.~ The polynucleotide is a plasmid or episome {13}
480.~.~.~ Plasmid or episome contains at least part of a gene encoding a toxin or encoding for virulence or pathogenicity

DEFINITION

Classification: 435/480

Plasmid or episome contains at least part of a gene encoding a toxin or encoding for virulence or pathogenicity:

(under subclass 476) Processes wherein at least part of a gene for a toxin or at least part of a gene for causing virulence or pathogenicity is present on the plasmid or episome.

(1) Note. A toxin is a compound which is inhibitory to biological function of a cell type, tissue, organ, or entire living individual.

(2) Note. This subclass includes use of genes encoding cytotoxins.

(3) Note. The use of a gene for encoding for a product which is being used as a toxin is appropriate for this subclass.

(4) Note. A virulence or pathogenicity gene is a gene which when lost leads to the inability of the pathogenic organism to damage the host, i.e., the inability to inhibit a biological function of the host individual or a component cell, tissue or organ thereof.

(5) Note. This subclass does not include use of genes which encode degradatory enzymes which do not normally possess in vivo roles of inhibition of biological function, e.g., trypsin, collagenase, etc., unless said enzymes are being employed as toxins in the invention.