Patents Represented by Attorney Christine M. Lhulier
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Patent number: 8241878Abstract: Yeast strains were engineered that have increased activity of heterologous proteins that require binding of an Fe—S cluster for their activity. The yeast strains have reduced activity of an endogenous Fe—S protein. Activities of heterologous fungal or plant 2Fe-2S dihydroxy-acid dehydratases and Fe—S propanediol dehydratase reactivase were increased for increased production of products made using biosynthetic pathways including these enzymes, such as valine, isoleucine, leucine, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), isobutanol, 2-butanone and 2-butanol.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2011Date of Patent: August 14, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Larry Cameron Anthony, Dennis Flint, Wonchul Suh, Rick W. Ye, Steven Cary Rothman, Jean-Francois Tomb
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Patent number: 8222017Abstract: Methods for the evolution of NADPH binding ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH binding functionality are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to bind NADH are described.Type: GrantFiled: November 15, 2011Date of Patent: July 17, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Yougen Li, Der-Ing Liao, Mark J. Nelson, Daniel P. Okeefe, Jean-Francois Tomb
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Patent number: 8206970Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: April 30, 2007Date of Patent: June 26, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Andrew C. Eliot, Vasantha Nagarajan, Lixuan Lisa Huang
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Patent number: 8188250Abstract: From a bacterial strain isolated from an environmental sample, after enrichment in medium containing 1-butanol as the carbon source, a new enzyme with butanol dehydrogenase activity was identified. The enzyme can convert butyraldehyde to 1-butanol, isobutyraldehyde to isobutanol, as well as 2-butanone to 2-butanol and thus is useful for biosynthesis of butanol in recombinant microbial hosts producing these substrates. The encoding gene, named sadB, was isolated from the strain identified as an isolate of Achromobacter xylosoxidans.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2009Date of Patent: May 29, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Andrew C. Eliot, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Charles E. Nakamura
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Patent number: 8178328Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: August 8, 2011Date of Patent: May 15, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
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Patent number: 8129162Abstract: Methods for the evolution of NADPH binding ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH binding functionality are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to bind NADH are described.Type: GrantFiled: December 18, 2008Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Yougen Li, Der-Ing Liao, Mark J. Nelson, Daniel P. Okeefe
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Patent number: 7993889Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: January 23, 2008Date of Patent: August 9, 2011Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
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Patent number: 7910342Abstract: Methods for the fermentative production of isobutanol is provided by the fermentative growth of a recombinant microorganism expressing a highly active ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzyme in addition to other enzymes required for conversion of glucose to isobutanol.Type: GrantFiled: April 16, 2008Date of Patent: March 22, 2011Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Der-Ing Liao, Mark J. Nelson, Michael G. Bramucci
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Patent number: 7851188Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: October 25, 2006Date of Patent: December 14, 2010Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLCInventors: Gail K. Donaldson, Andrew C. Eliot, Dennis Flint, Lori Ann Maggio-Hall, Vasantha Nagarajan
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Patent number: 7659104Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: May 2, 2007Date of Patent: February 9, 2010Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Michael G. Bramucci, Vasantha Nagarajan, Natalia Sedkova, Manjari Singh
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Patent number: 7579005Abstract: A process was developed for expressing antimicrobial peptides in a recombinant host cell that eliminates host cell toxicity and antimicrobial peptide degradation, as well as providing a process for rapid purification. Fusion proteins comprising a periplasmic targeting signal, cleavage site, and antimicrobial peptides provide the basis for this process which produces antimicrobial peptides that may be used in antimicrobial compositions and articles.Type: GrantFiled: November 28, 2005Date of Patent: August 25, 2009Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Sharon Jo Keeler, Sheryl M. Wolstenholme, Jodie L. Duke, Linda L. Hnatow
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Patent number: 7563764Abstract: The invention described herein relates to compositions of novel antimicrobial peptides that comprise hydrophobic and cationic residues, based on monomeric tri-peptide units. The peptides of the present invention exhibit high antibacterial activity and low hemolytic activity. The invention further provides compositions comprising these antimicrobial peptides and methods of use thereof for killing, reducing the growth of, or preventing the growth of microorganisms. The invention also provides antimicrobial substrates, medical devices, protective garments and barrier materials comprising the peptides of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: December 19, 2005Date of Patent: July 21, 2009Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventor: Helen S. M. Lu
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Patent number: 7550430Abstract: The invention described herein relates to compositions of novel antimicrobial peptides. The peptides of the present invention exhibit high antibacterial activity and low hemolytic activity. The invention further provides compositions comprising these antimicrobial peptides and methods of use thereof for killing, reducing the growth of, or preventing the growth of microorganisms. The invention also provides antimicrobial substrates and articles comprising the peptides of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2004Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Sharon J. Keeler, Helen S. M. Lu
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Patent number: 7524660Abstract: A process has been developed for the utilization of fructose by PTS? microorganisms. Providing the microorganisms with increased fructokinase activity, and optionally with increased fructose transport capacity, allows the microorganisms to use fructose as a nutrient supply with sustained growth. The microbial production of substances such as cell mass, glycerol, and 1,3-propanediol may be achieved during growth in a fructose containing medium using this process.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2005Date of Patent: April 28, 2009Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Perry Caimi, Charles Nakamura
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Patent number: 7402415Abstract: Recombinant organisms are provided comprising genes encoding a glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase and/or a glycerol-3-phosphatase activity useful for the production of glycerol from a variety of carbon substrates. The organisms further contain disruptions in the endogenous genes encoding proteins having glycerol kinase and glycerol dehydrogenase activities.Type: GrantFiled: November 18, 2005Date of Patent: July 22, 2008Assignees: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Genencor InternationalInventors: Ramesh Nair, Mark S. Payne, Donald E. Trimbur, Fernando Valle
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Patent number: 7368492Abstract: A process to prepare substantially pure glycolonitrile in an aqueous medium is provided by reacting hydrogen cyanide and formaldehyde. The formaldehyde feed stream is heated prior to reacting with hydrogen cyanide, resulting in an aqueous glycolonitrile solution with fewer impurities, especially less unreacted formaldehyde, than is obtained by other methods. The process enables production of an aqueous glycolonitrile solution that requires less post-reaction purification (if any at all) prior to enzymatically converting the glycolonitrile into glycolic acid.Type: GrantFiled: December 21, 2005Date of Patent: May 6, 2008Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Thomas Foo, Anna Panova
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Patent number: 7056709Abstract: Recombinant microbial strains are provided that express nitrilase enzyme and are useful as biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of nitrile-containing substrates. The recombinant cells are transformed with a foreign gene isolated from Acidovorax facilis 72W encoding a thermostable nitrilase enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of nitrile-containing substrates to carboxylic acids under mild reaction conditions. The nucleotide sequence of the nitrilase gene and the deduced amino acid sequence encoded by the nitrilase gene are provided.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2003Date of Patent: June 6, 2006Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and CompanyInventors: Sarita Chauhan, Robert Dicosimo, Robert D. Fallon, John E. Gavagan, Mark S. Payne