	US 12,480,135 B2
	Compositions and methods for delivery of nucleic acid to plant cells
M. Carmen Galan, Bristol (GB); David Benito-Alifonso, Bristol (GB); Thomas A. Swift, Bristol (GB); and Heather M. Whitney, Bristol (GB)
Assigned to The University of Bristol, Bristol (GB)
Appl. No. 16/957,023
Filed by The University of Bristol, Bristol (GB)
PCT Filed Dec. 28, 2018, PCT No. PCT/EP2018/097143 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jun. 22, 2020, PCT Pub. No. WO2019/134897, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 11, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 1800184 (GB), filed on Jan. 5, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2020/0392525 A1, Dec. 17, 2020
Int. Cl. C12N 15/82 (2006.01); B82Y 5/00 (2011.01); C01B 32/174 (2017.01)

CPC C12N 15/8269 (2013.01) [B82Y 5/00 (2013.01); C01B 32/174 (2017.08); C12N 15/8213 (2013.01); C12N 15/8261 (2013.01); C12N 15/8279 (2013.01); Y10S 977/704 (2013.01)]

23 Claims

1. A method of modifying one or more characteristics of a plant, the method comprising contacting the plant with a carbon nanodot (CND) compound; and then propagating the plant, wherein the CND compound has the formula:

CND-[(L)_y-X]_z

in which:

CND is a carbon nanodot having a diameter in the range 0.5-20 nm;

L is a linker selected from C_1-20alkylene, or C_1-20alkenylene groups optionally including 1-5 heteroatoms selected from —O—,—N(H)—, and —S—;

X is PEG-(NR₂)_qassociated with a nucleic acid, in which each R is independently H or C_1-6alkyl and the integer q is 0 or 1;

wherein:

PEG is a polyethylene glycol having a weight average molecular weight (Mw) greater than 200;

the integer y is 0 or 1; wherein when y is 1, each of the CND and X moieties is attached to the L group either directly or via an amide bond;

z is an integer greater than or equal to 1; and

the modified characteristic(s) are caused by the introduced nucleic acid.