Patents Assigned to Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
  • FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20150247169
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2015
    Publication date: September 3, 2015
    Applicant: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. DONALDSON, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Processes and systems for the production of fermentation products
    Patent number: 9109196
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the production of fermentation products such as alcohols including ethanol and butanol, and processes employing in situ product removal methods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Stephane Francois Bazzana, Adam Bernfeld, Keith H. Burlew, James Timothy Cronin, Michael Charles Grady, Brian Michael Roesch, Joseph J. Zaher, Raymond Richard Zolandz
  • FERMENTATIVE PRODUCTION OF ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20150218595
    Abstract: The invention relates to the development of microorganisms capable of producing fermentation products via an engineered pathway in the microorganisms. The invention also relates to microorganisms with improved cell viability and methods to improve cell viability and cell productivity of a microorganism.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Bhaskar Bhadra, Lixuan Lisa Huang
  • Enhanced pyruvate to 2,3-butanediol conversion in lactic acid bacteria
    Patent number: 9080179
    Abstract: A high flux of metabolites from pyruvate to 2,3-butanediol in Lactobacillus plantarum was achieved through genetic engineering. Substantial elimination of lactate dehydrogenase activity in the presence of heterologously expressed butanediol dehydrogenase activity led to 2,3 butanediol production that was at least 49% of the total of major pyruvate-derived products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: BUTAMAX ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventor: Brian James Paul
  • Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 9068190
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Production of alcohol esters and in situ product removal during alcohol fermentation
    Patent number: 9040263
    Abstract: An alcohol fermentation process and composition that includes production of alcohol esters by esterification of product alcohol in a fermentation medium with a carboxylic acid (e.g., fatty acid) and a catalyst (e.g., lipase) capable of esterifying the product alcohol, such as butanol, with the carboxylic acid to form the alcohol esters. The alcohol esters can be extracted from the fermentation medium, and the product alcohol recovered from the alcohol esters. The carboxylic acid can also serve as an extractant for removal of the alcohol esters from the fermentation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: BUTAMAX ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: Douglas Robert Anton, Stephane Francois Bazzana, Keith H. Burlew, Jelena Cirakovic, Robert Dicosimo, Bruce A. Diner, Michael Charles Grady, Brian Michael Roesch, Francis J. Woerner
  • Use of thiamine and nicotine adenine dinucleotide for butanol production
    Patent number: 9012190
    Abstract: The invention relates generally to the field of industrial microbiology and alcohol production. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of thiamine, biosynthetic precursors of thiamine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamid, nicotinic acid riboside, nicotinamid riboside, or other biosynthetic precursors of nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NAD) to improve butanol production. Butanol production can be improved by providing sufficient amounts of thiamine, biosynthetic precursors of thiamine, nicotinic acid, nicotinamid, nicotinic acid riboside, nicotinamid riboside, or other biosynthetic precursors of nicotine adenine dinucleotide (NAD) in the production media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Dauner, Mehmedalija Jahic
  • Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 8980612
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentive production of four carbon alcohols are provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably 2-butanol is produced by the fermentive growth of a recombinant bacteria expressing a 2-butanol biosynthetic pathway. The recombinant microorganisms and methods of the invention can also be adapted to produce 2-butanone, an intermediate in the 2-butanol biosynthetic pathways disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Vasantha Nagarajan, Charles E. Nakamura, Jean-Francois Tomb
  • Recovery of butanol isomers from a mixture of butanol isomers, water, and an organic extractant
    Patent number: 8968522
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture of a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a noncondensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is returned to the first distillation column as reflux. A bottom stream from the first distillation column is refined in a second distillation column to obtain a second overhead stream and a second bottoms stream. The extractant may be C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten
  • Recovery of butanol isomers from a mixture of butanol isomers, water, and an organic extractant
    Patent number: 8968523
    Abstract: A process for recovering butanol from a mixture of a water-immiscible organic extractant, water, butanol, and optionally a non-condensable gas, is provided. The butanol is selected from 1-butanol, isobutanol, and mixtures thereof. An overhead stream from a first distillation column is decanted into two liquid phases. The wet butanol phase is refined in a second distillation column; the aqueous phase is returned to the first distillation column. A portion of the wet butanol phase from the decanter is also returned to the first distillation column. The extractant may be C7 to C22 fatty alcohols, C7 to C22 fatty acids, esters of C7 to C22 fatty acids, C7 to C22 fatty aldehydes, and mixtures thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yihui Tom Xu, William D. Parten
  • Method for producing butanol using extractive fermentation with electrolyte addition
    Patent number: 8969055
    Abstract: A method for producing butanol through microbial fermentation, in which the butanol product is removed during the fermentation by extraction into a water-immiscible organic extractant in the presence of at least one electrolyte at a concentration at least sufficient to increase the butanol partition coefficient relative to that in the presence of the salt concentration of the basal fermentation medium, is provided. The electrolyte may comprise a salt which dissociates in the fermentation medium, or in the aqueous phase of a biphasic fermentation medium, to form free ions. Also provided is a method and composition for recovering butanol from a fermentation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Michael Charles Grady, Ranjan Patnaik
  • Enhanced pyruvate to acetolactate conversion in yeast
    Patent number: 8969065
    Abstract: A high flux in conversion of pyruvate to acetolactate was achieved in yeast through expression of acetolactate synthase in the cytosol in conjunction with reduction in pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Additional manipulations to improve flux to acetolactate are reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and reduced glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Production of compounds having acetolactate as an upstream intermediate benefit from the increased conversion of pruvate to acetolactate in the described strains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Larry Cameron Anthony, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall
  • Butanol compositions for fuel blending and methods for the production thereof
    Patent number: 8968429
    Abstract: The invention relates to butanol compositions for fuel blending and fuel blends comprising such compositions. The compositions and fuel blends of the invention have desirable performance characteristics and can serve as alternatives to ethanol-containing fuel blends. The invention also relates to methods for producing such butanol compositions and fuel blends.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: James J. Baustian, Leslie Raymond Wolf
  • Recombinant host cell comprising a diol dehydratase
    Patent number: 8962298
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentive production of four carbon alcohols are provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably 2-butanol is produced by the fermentive growth of a recombinant bacteria expressing a 2-butanol biosynthetic pathway. The recombinant microorganisms and methods of the invention can also be adapted to produce 2-butanone, an intermediate in the 2-butanol biosynthetic pathways disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Vasantha Nagarajan, Charles E. Nakamura, Jean-Francois Tomb
  • Enhanced pyruvate to acetolactate conversion in yeast
    Patent number: 8956850
    Abstract: A high flux in conversion of pyruvate to acetolactate was achieved in yeast through expression of acetolactate synthase in the cytosol in conjunction with reduction in pyruvate decarboxylase activity. Additional manipulations to improve flux to acetolactate are reduced pyruvate dehydrogenase activity and reduced glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. Production of compounds having acetolactate as an upstream intermediate benefit from the increased conversion of pruvate to acetolactate in the described strains.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Larry Cameron Anthony, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall
  • Identification and use of bacterial [2Fe-2S] dihydroxy-acid dehydratases
    Patent number: 8951937
    Abstract: A group of bacterial dihydroxy-acid dehydratases having a [2Fe-2S] cluster was discovered. Bacterial [2Fe-2S] DHADs were expressed as heterologous proteins in bacteria and yeast cells, providing DHAD activity for conversion of 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate to ?-ketoisovalerate or 2,3-dihydroxymethylvalerate to ?-ketomethylvalerate. Isobutanol and other compounds may be synthesized in pathways that include bacterial [2Fe-2S] DHAD activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Dennis Flint, Steven Cary Rothman, Wonchul Suh, Jean-Francois Tomb, Rick W. Ye
  • Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 8951774
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Ketol-acid reductoisomerase using NADH
    Patent number: 8945899
    Abstract: Methods for the evolution of NADPH specific ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH specificity are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to utilize NADH are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yougen Li, Der-Ing Liao, Mark J. Nelson, Daniel P. Okeefe
  • Production of isobutanol by a microorganism with enhanced acetolactate synthase activity
    Patent number: 8945859
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of four carbon alcohols is provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably isobutanol is produced by the fermentative growth of a recombinant bacterium expressing an isobutanol biosynthetic pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Yeast strain for production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 8940511
    Abstract: Yeast cells with a reduced general control response to amino acid starvation were found to have increased tolerance to butanol in the growth medium. The reduced response was engineered by genetic modification of a gene involved in the response, a GCN gene, to eliminate activity of the encoded protein. Yeast strains with an engineered butanol biosynthetic pathway and a genetic modification in a gene involved in the general control response to amino acid starvation, which have increased butanol tolerance, are useful for production of butanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Butamax Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventor: Robert A. LaRossa