Patents by Inventor Roberto E. Armenta
Roberto E. Armenta 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).
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Patent number: 11959120Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing oils with reduced saturated fatty acids. The methods include culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium in the presence of one or more antifoaming agents under a controlled carbon consumption rate, wherein the culturing produces oils comprising fatty acids and wherein less than 35% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated fatty acids.Type: GrantFiled: October 28, 2020Date of Patent: April 16, 2024Assignee: MARA Renewables CorporationInventors: Zhiyong Sun, Alan Sothern, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Michael Milway, Laura Purdue, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20240060112Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The method includes providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms and medium, wherein the microorganisms and medium form a start volume. The microorganisms and medium are cultured until the culture reaches a threshold indicator, wherein culturing comprises feeding one or more carbon sources to the culture and wherein the culture is at a threshold volume when the threshold indicator is reached. The method also includes harvesting a portion of the threshold volume to leave a residual volume that is 40% or less of the start volume and adding fresh medium to the container in an amount to return the volume of the culture to the start volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: MARA Renewables CorporationInventors: Kevin Berryman, Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20230416792Abstract: Provided herein are methods of recovering oil from microorganisms. The methods are useful, for example, in obtaining nutritional oils and/or lipid biofuels. The methods of recovering oil described herein include contacting a population of microorganisms with one or more enzymes under conditions that cause disruption of the microorganisms, concentrating the disrupted microorganisms, and extracting lipids from the disrupted microorganisms at high temperature in the presence of a salt and in the absence of solvent.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 12, 2023Publication date: December 28, 2023Inventors: Dorothy A. Dennis, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 11827918Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The method includes providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms and medium, wherein the microorganisms and medium form a start volume. The microorganisms and medium are cultured until the culture reaches a threshold indicator, wherein culturing comprises feeding one or more carbon sources to the culture and wherein the culture is at a threshold volume when the threshold indicator is reached. The method also includes harvesting a portion of the threshold volume to leave a residual volume that is 40% or less of the start volume and adding fresh medium to the container in an amount to return the volume of the culture to the start volume.Type: GrantFiled: December 31, 2020Date of Patent: November 28, 2023Assignee: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Kevin Berryman, Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 11746363Abstract: Provided herein are methods of recovering oil from microorganisms. The methods are useful, for example, in obtaining nutritional oils and/or lipid biofuels. The methods of recovering oil described herein include contacting a population of microorganisms with one or more enzymes under conditions that cause disruption of the microorganisms, concentrating the disrupted microorganisms, and extracting lipids from the disrupted microorganisms at high temperature in the presence of a salt and in the absence of solvent.Type: GrantFiled: August 10, 2020Date of Patent: September 5, 2023Assignee: MARA Renewables CorporationInventors: Dorothy A. Dennis, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20230250455Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing oils with reduced saturated fatty acids. The methods include culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium in the presence of one or more antifoaming agents under a controlled carbon consumption rate, wherein the culturing produces oils comprising fatty acids and wherein less than 35% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated fatty acids.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 21, 2023Publication date: August 10, 2023Inventors: Zhiyong Sun, Alan Sothern, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Michael Milway, Laura Purdue, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 11578304Abstract: Provided is a method of culturing one or more microorganisms. The method includes culturing one or more microorganisms in a medium comprising crude glycerol at a first concentration level, feeding to the media an additional amount of crude glycerol, once the first concentration of glycerol is reduced to a first threshold level, at a concentration sufficient to achieve the first concentration level, monitoring the crude glycerol concentration until the first concentration level of the crude glycerol is reduced to the first threshold level. The steps may be repeated until a desired microorganism cell density is achieved.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 2016Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: Mara Renewables CorporationInventors: Laura Purdue, Michael Milway, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Zhiyong Sun, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20220356506Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The methods include providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms in a medium, which has a first carbon to nitrogen ratio; culturing the microorganisms until the culture reaches a threshold indicator; harvesting a portion of the culture while maintaining the majority of the culture in the container; and adding fresh medium comprising a second carbon to nitrogen ratio to the container with the majority of the culture comprising the microorganisms.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 25, 2022Publication date: November 10, 2022Inventors: Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta, Laura Purdue
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Patent number: 11466297Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids. The methods include the steps of providing a microorganism capable of producing polyunsaturated fatty acids, providing a medium comprising a high concentration of one or more carbon sources, low pH, or both, and culturing the microorganism in the medium under sufficient conditions to produce the one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids. Also provided are methods of culturing one or more microorganisms. The methods include culturing the microorganisms in a medium comprising a first amount of one or more carbon sources at a first concentration level, monitoring a carbon source concentration until the carbon source concentration is reduced below the first concentration level, and adding to the medium a second amount of one or more carbon sources to increase the carbon source concentration to a second concentration level.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: Mara Renewables CorporationInventors: Zhiyong Sun, Roberto E. Armenta, Mercia Valentine
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Publication number: 20220177934Abstract: Provided herein are eukaryotic microorganisms having a simple lipid profile comprising long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Also provided are compositions and cultures comprising the eukaryotic microorganisms as well as methods of using the eukaryotic microorganisms.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2021Publication date: June 9, 2022Inventors: Violeta Ugalde, Zachary Sun, Anthony Windust, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 11345943Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The methods include providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms in a medium, which has a first carbon to nitrogen ratio; culturing the microorganisms until the culture reaches a threshold indicator; harvesting a portion of the culture while maintaining the majority of the culture in the container; and adding fresh medium comprising a second carbon to nitrogen ratio to the container with the majority of the culture comprising the microorganisms.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2020Date of Patent: May 31, 2022Assignee: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta, Laura Purdue
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Publication number: 20210392913Abstract: Provided herein are fermentation methods that improve the nutritional value and physical properties of microbial oil. Specifically, provided is a method of producing oil with increased omega-7 fatty acids. The method comprises culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium with less than 0.3 mg/L zinc, wherein the culturing produces an oil comprising fatty acids, wherein the oil comprises increased omega-7 fatty acids compared to a control oil. Optionally, the oil is isolated from the microorganisms of the culture.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 1, 2019Publication date: December 23, 2021Applicant: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Michael Milway, Laura Purdue, Zachary Sun, Mercia Valentine, Joshua Lowrey, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20210388312Abstract: Provided herein are methods of making microorganisms modified for increased xylose consumption as compared to unmodified microorganisms. The methods include providing xylose-consuming microorganisms comprising two or more copies of a nucleic acid sequence encoding xylose isomerase and two or more copies of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a xylose kinase, culturing the microorganisms in medium containing xylose and harvesting a portion of the microorganisms. These steps are repeated multiple times. The microorganisms are then isolated. The isolated microorganisms have increased xylose consumption rates compared to control xylose-consuming microorganisms. Also provided are a population of microorganisms made by the provided methods. Methods of culturing the population of microorganisms and methods of reducing xylitol production in cultures comprising the population of microorganisms are provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2019Publication date: December 16, 2021Applicant: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Kimberly Hyson, Nathalia Florez, Denise Muise, Alexandra Merkx-Jacques, Dorothy Dennis, David Woodhall, Zachary Sun, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 11198891Abstract: Provided herein are eukaryotic microorganisms having a simple lipid profile comprising long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). Also provided are compositions and cultures comprising the eukaryotic microorganisms as well as methods of using the eukaryotic microorganisms.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2017Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Violeta Ugalde, Zachary Sun, Anthony Windust, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20210363554Abstract: Provided herein are methods for producing one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids. The methods include the steps of providing a microorganism capable of producing polyunsaturated fatty acids, providing a medium comprising a high concentration of one or more carbon sources, low pH, or both, and culturing the microorganism in the medium under sufficient conditions to produce the one or more polyunsaturated fatty acids. Also provided are methods of culturing one or more microorganisms. The methods include culturing the microorganisms in a medium comprising a first amount of one or more carbon sources at a first concentration level, monitoring a carbon source concentration until the carbon source concentration is reduced below the first concentration level, and adding to the medium a second amount of one or more carbon sources to increase the carbon source concentration to a second concentration level.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2021Publication date: November 25, 2021Inventors: Zhiyong Sun, Roberto E. Armenta, Mercia Valentine
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Publication number: 20210310032Abstract: Provided herein are microbial oils and methods of making and using microbial oils with high levels of omega-3 fatty acids. Specifically, provided is a microbial oil comprising at least 85% total fatty acids, wherein the total fatty acids comprise at least 50% DHA. Also provided is a method of making a biomass comprising culturing an oil-producing microorganism in a culture medium comprising a fatty acid synthesis inhibitor, wherein the biomass comprises at least 500 mg/g oil.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 4, 2021Publication date: October 7, 2021Inventors: Joshua Lowrey, Zhiyong Sun, Roberto E. Armenta, Denise Muise
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Patent number: 11001782Abstract: Provided herein are methods of recovering oil from microorganisms. The methods are useful, for example, in obtaining nutritional oils and/or lipid biofuels. The methods of recovering oil described herein include contacting a population of microorganisms with one or more enzymes under conditions that cause disruption of the microorganisms and extracting lipids from the population of microorganisms in the presence of reduced amounts of organic solvent or in the absence of organic solvent.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2014Date of Patent: May 11, 2021Assignee: DSM Nutritional Products AGInventors: Dorothy A. Dennis, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20210123083Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The method includes providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms and medium, wherein the microorganisms and medium form a start volume. The microorganisms and medium are cultured until the culture reaches a threshold indicator, wherein culturing comprises feeding one or more carbon sources to the culture and wherein the culture is at a threshold volume when the threshold indicator is reached. The method also includes harvesting a portion of the threshold volume to leave a residual volume that is 40% or less of the start volume and adding fresh medium to the container in an amount to return the volume of the culture to the start volume.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 31, 2020Publication date: April 29, 2021Applicant: Mara Renewables CorporationInventors: Kevin Berryman, Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta
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Patent number: 10920261Abstract: Provided herein are methods of culturing a microorganism. The method includes providing a container comprising one or more microorganisms and medium, wherein the microorganisms and medium form a start volume. The microorganisms and medium are cultured until the culture reaches a threshold indicator, wherein culturing comprises feeding one or more carbon sources to the culture and wherein the culture is at a threshold volume when the threshold indicator is reached. The method also includes harvesting a portion of the threshold volume to leave a residual volume that is 40% or less of the start volume and adding fresh medium to the container in an amount to return the volume of the culture to the start volume.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2015Date of Patent: February 16, 2021Assignee: MARA RENEWABLES CORPORATIONInventors: Kevin Berryman, Zhiyong Sun, Michael Milway, Mercia Valentine, Roberto E. Armenta
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Publication number: 20210040519Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing oils with reduced saturated fatty acids. The methods include culturing oil-producing microorganisms in a fermentation medium in the presence of one or more antifoaming agents under a controlled carbon consumption rate, wherein the culturing produces oils comprising fatty acids and wherein less than 35% of the fatty acids in the oil are saturated fatty acids.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 28, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Inventors: Zhiyong Sun, Alan Sothern, Kevin Berryman, Mercia Valentine, Michael Milway, Laura Purdue, Roberto E. Armenta