Patents by Inventor Romel Menacho Melgar

Romel Menacho Melgar 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).

  • Patent number: 11773378
    Abstract: Described are a genetically modified microorganism and corresponding methods and products. The genetically modified microorganism may include a first gene that encodes an acyl transferase and a second gene that encodes a peptide or protein. One or both of the first and second gene may be heterologous. The genetically modified microorganism may include a modified acyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway configured for one or more of: inducible biosynthesis of an acyl-CoA and over-accumulation of the acyl-CoA. The genetically modified microorganism may be effective upon fermentation to cause acylation of the peptide or protein by the acyl transferase using the acyl-CoA to provide a N-acylated peptide or protein product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: DUKE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Michael David Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar
  • Publication number: 20230220438
    Abstract: An improved strain of E. coli for autoinduction of protein expression but also of autolytic enzymes thereby enabling combined autolysis and auto DNA/RNA hydrolysis. This combination of these two mechanisms improves cellular lysis and DNA removal and expounds the benefits of two stage production of a protein product. This system enables greater than 95% lysis and hydrolysis due to tightly controlled expression the genes. The autolytic genes may encode a lysozyme and a benzonase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 8, 2021
    Publication date: July 13, 2023
    Applicant: Duke University
    Inventors: Michael David Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar, Eirik Adim Moreb, John P. Efromson
  • Publication number: 20230058740
    Abstract: Provide herein are engineered microbial strains having greatly improved expression of many challenging protein product. This system relies on controlled expression or dynamic reduction in activity of key housekeeping proteases. Dynamic control, implemented with CRISPR based gene silencing and or controlled protein degradation enables increased protein expression while minimizing the negative impact of complete deletions of these housekeeping enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 11, 2022
    Publication date: February 23, 2023
    Inventors: Michael Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar
  • Publication number: 20220411806
    Abstract: Improved production of recombinant proteins in E. coli, reliant on tightly controlled autoinduction, triggered by phosphate depletion in stationary phase. The process also provides an optimized autoinduction media, enabling routine batch production at various culture volumes where cells densities routinely reach ˜5-7 g cell dry weight per liter and offer protein titers above 2 g/L. The methodology has been validated with a set of diverse heterologous proteins and is of general use for the facile optimization of routine protein expression from high throughput screens to fed-batch fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2020
    Publication date: December 29, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar, Zhixia Ye, Eirik A. Moreb
  • Patent number: 11180739
    Abstract: Described are a genetically modified microorganism and corresponding methods and products. The genetically modified microorganism may include a first gene that encodes an acyl transferase and a second gene that encodes a peptide or protein. One or both of the first and second gene may be heterologous. The genetically modified microorganism may include a modified acyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway configured for one or more of: inducible biosynthesis of an acyl-CoA and over-accumulation of the acyl-CoA. The genetically modified microorganism may be effective upon fermentation to cause acylation of the peptide or protein by the acyl transferase using the acyl-CoA to provide a N-acylated peptide or protein product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2021
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: Michael David Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar
  • Publication number: 20210332335
    Abstract: Described are a genetically modified microorganism and corresponding methods and products. The genetically modified microorganism may include a first gene that encodes an acyl transferase and a second gene that encodes a peptide or protein. One or both of the first and second gene may be heterologous. The genetically modified microorganism may include a modified acyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway configured for one or more of: inducible biosynthesis of an acyl-CoA and over-accumulation of the acyl-CoA. The genetically modified microorganism may be effective upon fermentation to cause acylation of the peptide or protein by the acyl transferase using the acyl-CoA to provide a N-acylated peptide or protein product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2021
    Publication date: October 28, 2021
    Applicant: Duke University
    Inventors: Michael David Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar
  • Publication number: 20200063111
    Abstract: Described are a genetically modified microorganism and corresponding methods and products. The genetically modified microorganism may include a first gene that encodes an acyl transferase and a second gene that encodes a peptide or protein. One or both of the first and second gene may be heterologous. The genetically modified microorganism may include a modified acyl-CoA biosynthetic pathway configured for one or more of: inducible biosynthesis of an acyl-CoA and over-accumulation of the acyl-CoA. The genetically modified microorganism may be effective upon fermentation to cause acylation of the peptide or protein by the acyl transferase using the acyl-CoA to provide aN-acylated peptide or protein product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2018
    Publication date: February 27, 2020
    Applicant: Duke University
    Inventors: Michael David Lynch, Romel Menacho Melgar