Patents by Inventor Vasantha Nagarajan

Vasantha Nagarajan 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).

  • Solvent tolerant microorganisms
    Patent number: 8017364
    Abstract: Pediococcus bacteria having enhanced tolerance to butanols have been isolated. The bacteria are useful for the fermentative production of butanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2011
    Inventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Helene M. A. Kane, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 7993889
    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: January 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2011
    Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20110111472
    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: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20110112334
    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: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: May 12, 2011
    Applicant: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • Fermentive production of four carbon alcohols
    Patent number: 7851188
    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: October 25, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2010
    Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • SOLVENT TOLERANT MICROORGANISMS AND METHODS OF ISOLATION
    Publication number: 20100093020
    Abstract: Enterococcus bacteria having enhanced tolerance to butanols have been isolated. The bacteria are useful for the fermentive production of butanol. New methods for the isolation of butanol tolerant Enterococcus are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 10, 2009
    Publication date: April 15, 2010
    Applicant: BUTAMAX(TM) ADVANCED BIOFUELS LLC
    Inventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh
  • Solvent tolerant microorganisms and methods of isolation
    Patent number: 7659104
    Abstract: Enterococcus bacteria having enhanced tolerance to butanols have been isolated. The bacteria are useful for the fermentive production of butanol. New methods for the isolation of butanol tolerant Enterococcus are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 9, 2010
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh
  • Bioconversion of a fermentable carbon source to 1,3-propanediol by a single microorganism
    Patent number: 7629161
    Abstract: A process is provided for the bioconversion of a carbon substrate to 1,3-propanediol by a single organism utilizing microorganisms containing the genes encoding for an active glycerol or diol dehydratase enzyme by contacting these organisms with a carbon substrate under the appropriate fermentation conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Lisa Anne Laffend, Vasantha Nagarajan, Charles Edwin Nakamura
  • Recovery of isoflavones and removal of oligosaccharides from aqueous mixtures using zeolites
    Patent number: 7618671
    Abstract: The present invention provides a process using zeolites for recovering isoflavones and removing undesired oligosaccharides from aqueous mixtures, such as soy whey and other plant processing waste products. The aqueous mixture is treated with a large pore hydrophobic zeolite, such as zeolite Beta, to remove isoflavones, followed by treatment with an ultrastabilized, hydrophobic zeolite Y, such as CBV-901 or HiSiv™ 4000, to remove the undesired oligosaccharides raffinose and stachyose. The recovered isoflavones and digestible sugars, glucose, sucrose, and fructose, are useful in food products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: David Richard Corbin, Vasantha Nagarajan, Vidya Pai, Stuart M. Thomas
  • Selective removal of oligosaccharides from aqueous mixtures using zeolites
    Patent number: 7618672
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for selectively removing undesired oligosaccharides from aqueous mixtures such as plant processing waste products, including soy whey and other vegetable wheys, using an ultrastabilized large pore, hydrophobic zeolite Y. The resulting solution, which contains isoflavones and digestible sugars such as glucose, fructose and sucrose, can serve as the basis for a nutritious new product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2009
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: David Richard Corbin, Vasantha Nagarajan, Vidya Pai, Stuart M. Thomas
  • ?(1,6)-linked glucose oligosaccharide hydrolyzing enzyme polynucleotides and polypeptides and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 7615365
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for utilizing less purified starch in fermentation processes. One example is a recombinant E. coli containing a exogenous extracellular isoamylase activity that is capable of utilizing small oligomers containing (1,6) linkages (including but not limited to isomaltose and panose) in fermentations to produce useful products. The invention is useful in large-scale industrial biofermentations by reducing the cost of the substrate carbohydrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Perry G. Caimi, Mario W. Chen, Vasantha Nagarajan, Jean-Francois Tomb, Siqun Wang, Yuying Zhang
  • FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20090239275
    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: Application
    Filed: May 27, 2009
    Publication date: September 24, 2009
    Applicant: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Vasantha Nagarajan, Charles E. Nakamura, Jean-Francois Tomb
  • PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS USING IMPROVED STRAIN
    Publication number: 20090203139
    Abstract: Using screening of transposon random insertion mutants, genes involved in accumulation of (p)ppGpp were found to be involved in bacterial cell response to butanol. Reduced production of proteins with enzymatic activity for (p)ppGpp biosynthesis confers increased butanol tolerance. Bacterial strains with reduced (p)ppGpp accumulation and having a butanol or 2-butanone biosynthetic pathway are useful for production of butanol or 2-butanone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Inventors: Robert A. Larossa, Dana R. Smulski, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • STRAIN FOR BUTANOL PRODUCTION
    Publication number: 20090203097
    Abstract: Screening of fatty acid fed bacteria which are not natural butanol producers identified increased membrane cyclopropane fatty acid as providing improved butanol tolerance. Increasing expression of cyclopropane fatty acid synthase in the presence of the enzyme substrate that is either endogenous to the cell or fed to the cell, increased butanol tolerance. Bacterial strains with increased cyclopropane fatty acid synthase and having a butanol biosynthetic pathway are useful for production of butanol.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: DENNIS FLINT, Robert A. Larossa, Vasantha Nagarajan, Tina K. Van Dyk, Rick W. Ye
  • Method to enhance biodegradation of sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic co-polyesters by addition of a microbial consortium
    Patent number: 7560266
    Abstract: A microbial consortium for the biodegradation of sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic co-polyesters having greater than 60 mol percent aromatic acid content based on the total acid content of the co-polyester, created by applying selective pressure. Methods to biodegrade sulfonated aliphatic-aromatic co-polyesters using microbial consortium SPDC-1 are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Michael Bramucci, Vasantha Nagarajan
  • FERMENTIVE PRODUCTION OF FOUR CARBON ALCOHOLS
    Publication number: 20090155870
    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. Specifically disclosed herein are the use of coenzyme B12-independent butanediol dehydratases that catalyzes the substrate to product conversion of 2,3-butanediol to 2-butanone in the process of producing 2-butanol and 2-butanone.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventors: GAIL K. DONALDSON, Andrew C. Eliot, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan, Charles E. Nakamura, Jean-Francois Tomb
  • Solvent tolerant microorganisms and methods of isolation
    Patent number: 7541173
    Abstract: Lactobacillus bacteria having enhanced tolerance to butanols have been isolated. The bacteria are useful for the fermentive production of butanol. New methods for the isolation of butanol tolerant Lactobacillus are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh
  • UTILIZATION OF STARCH FOR BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTION BY FERMENTATION
    Publication number: 20090068704
    Abstract: This invention relates to a method for utilizing less purified starch in fermentation processes. One example is a recombinant E. coli containing a exogenous extracellular isoamylase activity that is capable of utilizing small oligomers containing (1,6) linkages (including but not limited to isomaltose and panose) in fermentations to produce useful products. The invention is useful in large-scale industrial biofermentations by reducing the cost of the substrate carbohydrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2007
    Publication date: March 12, 2009
    Applicant: EI duPont / Legal
    Inventors: Perry G. Caimi, Mario W. Chen, Vasantha Nagarajan, Jean-Francois Tomb, Siqun Wang, Yuying Zhang
  • METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 2-BUTANOL
    Publication number: 20080274525
    Abstract: A method for the production of 2-butanol by fermentation using a microbial production host is disclosed. The method employs a reduction in temperature during the fermentation process that results in a more robust tolerance of the production host to the butanol product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: MICHAEL G. BRAMUCCI, Dennis Flint, Edward S. Miller, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh, Tina K. Van Dyk
  • METHOD FOR THE PRODUCTION OF 2-BUTANONE
    Publication number: 20080274522
    Abstract: A method for the production of 2-butanone by fermentation using a microbial production host is disclosed. The method employs a reduction in temperature during the fermentation process that results in a more robust tolerance of the production host to the butanone product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Dennis Flint, Edward S. Miller, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh, Tina K. Van Dyk