ABSTRACT
Althoughbiotechnologyisarelativelynewtermofart,biotechnologicalinventionsarenotnewtopatentattorneysortheUnitedStatesPatentand TrademarkOffice(PTO).Formorethanacentury,thePTOhasbeenissuing patentsdrawntowhatwenowthinkofasbiotechnologicalinventions.For instance,in1873,thePTOissuedU.S.PatentNo.141,072toLouisPasteur for"pureyeast"whichwasfreeofperniciousgermsandusedinthebrewing ofbeer.Onlyfouryearslater,thePTOissuedU.S.PatentNo..197,612to WilliamCutlerfora"vaccinevirus"madefromcrushedpustulesmixedwith fluidlymphandemployedinvaccinatingpersonsagainstsmallpox.Since thoseearlyyears,thePTOhasissuedaplethoraofpatentsdirectedtoall typesofbiotechnologicalinventions,includinglivingmatterperse!
