Patents by Inventor Moon-Hee Sung

Moon-Hee Sung has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20060127447
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a poly-gamma-glutamate (PGA) having an ultra-high molecular weight greater than 5,000 kDa. The ultra-high molecular weight PGA according to the present invention has a mean molecular weight greater than 13,000 kDa, and more than 95% of its molecules have a molecular weight ranging from 3,000 to 15,000 kDa. Also, it can be produced by the culturing of Bacillus subtilis var. chungkookjang. The ultra-high molecular weight PGA according to the present invention shows very excellent moisture-absorbing, moisture-retaining, sustained release, mineral solubility, and water-absorbing properties, and thus, can be used as a new and high value-added material in various applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2003
    Publication date: June 15, 2006
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Chung Park, Seung-Pyo Hong, Kwang Seok Kim, Jae Jun Song, Eu Gene Rha, Kwang Kim, Kenji Soda, Makoto Ashiuchi, Ha Ryoung Poo, Seung Lee
  • Patent number: 7049097
    Abstract: An antibiotic-independent vector for stable vector maintenance and high protein expression and a method for gene expression using this vector are disclosed. The stable maintenance of the vector is due to expression of a glutamic acid racemase to complement a D-glutamic acid auxotroph. No antibiotics, such as ampicillin, are necessary for the stable maintenance of this vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignees: Bioleaders Corporation, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology
    Inventors: Moon Hee Sung, Seung Goo Lee, Seung Pyo Hong, Eun Ja Yoon, Yoon Ho Choi, Ha Ryoung Poo
  • Publication number: 20060105446
    Abstract: Bacillus subtilis var. chungkookjang, accession no. KCTC 0697BP, a salt-resistant B. subtilis variant isolated from “chungkookjang,” a traditional Korean fermented soy bean paste. This B. subtilis variant produces poly-gamma-glutamic acid (or poly-gamma-glutamate, ?-PGA), an edible, soluble, anionic, and biodegradable high molecular-weight polymer. Bacillus subtilis var. chungkookjang produces ?-PGA with a higher molecular weight than other extracellular ?-PGAs derived from general Bacillus sp. strains. Accordingly, the ?-PGA produced by Bacillus subtilis var. chungkookjang can be utilized for the development of high value-added products, such as cosmetics, absorption agents, and biodegradable plastic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 18, 2006
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, DaeHeoun Baek, SeungGoo Lee, JaeJun Song, SeungPyo Hong, YoonHo Choi, SunYoung Shin, JaeSuk Han, Makoto Ashiuchi, Kenji Soda
  • Patent number: 6967087
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel obligately symbiotic thermophile Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1(Accession NO: KCTC 0685BP), and a thermostable L-tyrosine phenol-lyase and L-tryptophan indole-lyase produced by Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1. The present invention also relates to a pure culture method of Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1, a method of growth measurement for Symbiobacterium toebu SC-1 and its relative symbiotic bacteria showing low-growth yield using nitrate respiration, and a screening method of relative symbiotic strains of Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 from the environment using a specific antibody to it. Therefore, the thermostable L-tyrosine phenol-lyase and L-tryptophan indole-lyase produced by Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 in this invention can provide more stable catalysts in enzymatic biotransformation processes which enzymatically produce valuable medico-amino acids 3,4-dehydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and L-tryptophan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2005
    Assignee: Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Seung-Goo Lee, Sung-Keun Rhee, Seung-Pyo Hong, Dae-Joong Kang, Su-Mi Kim, Chul-Joong Kim, Jin-Woo Bae, Che Ok Jeon, Joong-Jae Kim, Kwang Kim, Jae Jun Song
  • Publication number: 20050255090
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel obligately symbiotic thermophile Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 (Accession NO: KCTC 0685BP), and a thermostable L-tyrosine phenol-lyase and L-tryptophan indole-lyase produced by Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1. The present invention also relates to a pure culture method of Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1, a method of growth measurement for Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 and its relative symbiotic bacteria showing low-growth yield using nitrate respiration, and a screening method of relative symbiotic strains of Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 from the environment using a specific antibody to it. Therefore, the thermostable L-tyrosine phenol-lyase and L-tryptophan indole-lyase produced by Symbiobacterium toebii SC-1 in this invention can provide more stable catalysts in enzymatic biotransformation processes which enzymatically produce valuable medico-amino acids 3,4-dehydroxy-L-phenylalanine (L-DOPA) and L-tryptophan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2005
    Publication date: November 17, 2005
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Seung-Goo Lee, Sung-Keun Rhee, Seung-Pyo Hong, Dae-Joong Kang, Su-Mi Kim, Chul-Joong Kim, Jin-Woo Bae, Che Jeon, Joong-Jae Kim, Kwang Kim, Jae Song
  • Publication number: 20050249752
    Abstract: Expression vectors are described that can efficiently produce virion capsid protein, tumor-associated protein of human papillomavirus on a microbial surface. Bacterial strains harboring such surface display vectors, and the use of the bacterial strains or their extracts or purified products as complex vaccines, are also described. The surface display vectors contain one or more than two genes selected from among pgsB, pgsC and pgsA, encoding a poly-?-glutamic acid synthetase complex (pgsBCA) of a Bacillus sp. strain, and genes that encode virion capsid proteins, tumor-associated proteins of human papillomavirus. Methodology for preparing the foregoing vectors, vaccines and transformed microorganisms are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 17, 2003
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Ha Ryoung Poo, Jong-Soo Lee, Chang-Min Jung, Seong-Pyo Hong, Chul-Joong Kim, Sue-nie Park, Hyun-mi Pyo
  • Publication number: 20050191720
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for expressing each of peptide antibiotics P5 3 and Anal3 35 having amphiphilicity and showing antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer activities 61, 63, 65, 67, 69, 71, on the microbial surface, using a vector containing outer membrane protein genes (pgsBCA) that are derived from Bacillus sp. strains and involved in the synthesis of poly-gamma-glutamate. Moreover, the present invention relates to lactic acid-forming bacteria having each of the peptide antibiotics P5 15 and Anal3 43 expressed on their surface, and the use thereof. According to the present invention, the peptide antibiotics can be expressed on the surface of various microorganisms transformed with the surface expression vectors. The inventive method for the surface expression of the peptide antibiotics allows the peptide antibiotics to be mass-produced without a purification process. Thus, the inventive method has very high industrial applicability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2004
    Publication date: September 1, 2005
    Applicants: Bioleaders Corporation, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chosun University
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Seung-Pyo Hong, Jong-Su Lee, Chang-Min Jung, Kyung-Soo Hahm, Dong-Gun Lee, Yoon Park, Chul-Joong Kim, Ha-Ryoung Poo
  • Publication number: 20040253704
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a surface expression vector having pgsBCA, a gene coding poly-gamma-glutamate synthetase and a method for expression of target protein at the surface of microorganism using the vector. The vector, in which foreign genes are inserted, transforms microorganisms and makes foreign proteins expressed stably on the surface of microorganisms.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2004
    Publication date: December 16, 2004
    Inventors: Moon-Hee Sung, Seung-Pyo Hong, Jong-Su Lee, Chang-Min Jung, Chul-Joong Kim, Kenji Soda, Makoto Ashiuchi
  • Publication number: 20030190706
    Abstract: To provide a promoter, a recombinant DNA, a gene expression vector, an expression vector, and a transformant, which are capable of expressing a gene without inducing gene expression with an inducer; and a method for producing a protein and a kit therefor, which can be operated easily and performed inexpensively by convenient and inexpensive steps.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Moon- Hee Sung, Seung-Goo Lee, Seung-Pyo Hong, Hwa-Jung Seo
  • Publication number: 20030084474
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an antibiotic-independent vector for constant high-expression and a method for gene expression using this vector. The stable expression of a recombinant gene is maintained by a stable plasmid through the use of genes essential for the growth and proliferation of the microorganism as a marker, instead of antibiotics, such as ampicillin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2002
    Publication date: May 1, 2003
    Inventors: Moon Hee Sung, Seung Goo Lee, Seung Pyo Hong, Eun Ja Yoon, Yoon Ho Choi, Ha Ryoung Poo