How is TransBacterTM different to Agrobacterium?
The working Agrobacterium gene transfer process is subject to many patents.Thus, to make products that may be sold in many countries, the method can only be used by companies that own or license the patents; before TransBacter scientists already had the ability to make transgenic plants, but no freedom to select the most appropriate technology without being subject to corporate restrictions. TransBacter will be made available to the scientific community to use freely and to make improvements and share these with other users. Patents have been applied for, and non-exclusive licenses for the patented technology will be made widely available to those who agree to the covenants. Conventional licenses often require the user to pay royalties, but the covenants in a BIOS license require sharing of improvements and data needed for government regulatory processes (see BIOS license FAQ). This will have enormously positive implications for researchers who are currently restricted by heavy royalti
