Patents Examined by David J. Steadman
  • Polypeptides having phospholipase C activity and polynucleotides encoding same
    Patent number: 9538771
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having phospholipase C activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Lan Tang, Ye Liu, Kim Borch, Jesper Brask
  • Pharmaceutical composition comprising bee venom-phospholipase A2 (BV-PLA2) for treating or preventing diseases related to degradation of abnormal regulatory T cell activity
    Patent number: 9526767
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity comprising a polypeptide comprising a bee venom-PLA2 amino acid sequence exclusive of a leader sequence as an active ingredient. The secretory bee venom-phospholipase A2 of the present invention activates a regulatory T cell and suppress a differentiation of Th1/Th7. Therefore, the present polypeptide can be used as a pharmaceutical composition for treating or preventing a disease related to abnormal suppression of regulatory T cell activity, i.e. autoimmune diseases, allergic diseases, or neurodegenerative diseases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2016
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY-INDUSTRY COOPERATION GROUP OF KYUNG HEE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hyun Su Bae, Hyo Jung Lee, Gi Hyun Lee, Hyun Seong Kim, Soo Jin Park, Eun Sook Chung, Tae Won Choi
  • Immobilized transaminases and process for making and using immobilized transaminase
    Patent number: 9523107
    Abstract: The invention is directed to immobilized transaminases and methods of making and using them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp.
    Inventors: Matthew D. Truppo, Michel Journet, Hallena Strotman, Jonathan P. McMullen, Shane T. Grosser
  • L-lysine hydroxylase and production method for hydroxy-L-lysine and hydroxy-L-pipecolic acid using same
    Patent number: 9512452
    Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for efficiently producing hydroxy-L-lysine. The present invention provides a method for producing hydroxy-L-lysine, the method comprising allowing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent L-lysine hydroxylase, a cell containing 2-oxoglutarate-dependent L-lysine hydroxylase, a processed product of the cell, and/or a culture broth obtained by culturing the cell, to act on L-lysine to produce hydroxy-L-lysine represented by the following General Formula (I) (wherein each of R1, R2 and R3 represents a hydrogen atom or hydroxyl group, with the proviso that at least one of R1, R2 and R3 represents a hydroxyl group).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: API Corporation
    Inventors: Kuniki Kino, Ryotaro Hara, Ryoma Miyake, Hiroshi Kawabata
  • Polypeptides having organophosphorous hydrolase activity
    Patent number: 9512413
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having organophosphorous hydrolase activity, and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2016
    Assignee: NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Bjarne Gram Hansen, Steffen Danielsen, Lars Kobberoee Skov, Leonardo De Maria, Julie Bille Rannes
  • Polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and polynucleotides encoding same
    Patent number: 9506050
    Abstract: Provided are isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity, catalytic domains, carbohydrate binding modules and polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, catalytic domains or carbohydrate binding modules. Also provided are nucleic acid constructs, vectors and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides, catalytic domains or carbohydrate binding modules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Ye Liu, Lan Tang, Weijian Lai
  • Genes related to xylose fermentation and methods of using same for enhanced biofuel production
    Patent number: 9506088
    Abstract: The present invention provides isolated gene sequences involved in xylose fermentation and related recombinant yeast which are useful in methods of enhanced biofuel production, particularly ethanol production. Methods of bioengineering recombinant yeast useful for biofuel production are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Dana J. Wohlbach, Audrey P. Gasch
  • Microorganism having novel acrylic acid synthesis pathway and method of producing acrylic acid by using the microorganism
    Patent number: 9506089
    Abstract: A microorganism capable of producing an acrylic acid (AA), wherein activities of a pathway producing AA through conversions of 3-HP to 3-HP-CoA and 3-HP-CoA to AA-CoA in the microorganisms are increased; as well as a method of producing the microorganism and a method of producing an acrylic acid by using the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hunsu Chu, Jinho Ahn, Taewook Nam, Jiae Yun, Insuk Choi, Yeoju Song, Jinsuk Lee
  • Method for selectively culturing microorganism using phosphite dehydrogenase gene as marker
    Patent number: 9499822
    Abstract: A simple and inexpensive method for selectively culturing a microorganism which method makes it possible to selectively culture a microorganism of interest even without using a sterilization operation or an antibiotic substance is provided. The method according to the present invention selectively culturing a microorganism includes the step of culturing, in a culture medium containing phosphorous acid as a sole phosphorous source, a recombinant microorganism into which a phosphite dehydrogenase gene has been introduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2016
    Assignee: HIROSHIMA UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Akio Kuroda, Ryuichi Hirota, Takenori Ishida
  • Method for treating pyropheophytin-containing compositions
    Patent number: 9493748
    Abstract: The present invention provides methods and uses for treating pyropheophytin-containing compositions, particularly in order to remove pyropheophytin therefrom. The compositions are typically plant, algal, or bacterial derived products such as vegetable oils. The method comprises a step of contacting the compositions with an enzyme having pyropheophytinase activity. Also provided are related apparatus and products for performing such methods and uses.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2016
    Assignee: DUPONT NUTRITION BIOSCIENCES APS
    Inventors: Jørn Borch Søe, Charlotte Horsmans Poulsen, Masoud Rajabi Zargahi, Jens Frisbaæk Sørensen, Tina Jørgensen, Janne Brunstedt, Rene Mikkelsen, Susan Mampusti Madrid
  • Stabilized transglutaminase and process for production thereof
    Patent number: 9487765
    Abstract: Disclosed is a transglutaminase having excellent stability. Also disclosed is a process for producing the transglutaminase. Specifically disclosed is a stabilized transglutaminase, which has such a structure in which a pro-sequence peptide of transglutaminase is bound to a mature transglutaminase. Also specifically disclosed is a process for producing stabilized transglutaminase, which includes the steps of culturing a microorganism capable of producing transglutaminase under the conditions where transglutaminase can be produced; and separating and collecting matured transglutaminase having a pro-sequence peptide bound thereto from a culture medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: AMANO ENZYME INC.
    Inventors: Masamichi Okada, Yoshiaki Kurono, Hitoshi Amano, Shotaro Yamaguchi
  • Method for producing L-amino acid
    Patent number: 9487806
    Abstract: A method for producing of an L-amino acid is provided. An L-amino acid is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae and having an L-amino acid-producing ability, which has been modified so that the acpP-fabF operon is attenuated, in a medium, and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium or cells of the bacterium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Miku Toyazaki, Keiko Noguchi, Mika Moriya, Yuri Uehara
  • Methods for producing a triglyceride composition from algae
    Patent number: 9464304
    Abstract: Methods are disclosed for cultivation of oleaginous microorganisms on feedstocks including depolymerized cellulosic material such as corn stover, Miscanthus, forage sorghum, sugar beet pulp and sugar cane bagasse. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing novel triglyceride oil compositions using cellulosic feedstocks, including oil compositions comprising fatty acids such as those having chain lengths of 8, 10, 12, and 14 carbon atoms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2016
    Assignee: TerraVia Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Franklin, Aravind Somanchi, Karen Espina, George Rudenko, Penelope Chua
  • Method for obtaning thin fibril collagen by contacting native collagen with an antibody
    Patent number: 9458224
    Abstract: A collagen material having a form of thin fibrils generally free of fibril-bundling proteogylcan interactions, and a method for providing the thin fibril collagen material from native collagen fibers. The method uses proteoglycan antibodies to disassociate the proteoglycan interactions in bundled collagen fibrils to provide the constituent fibrils. The process can be used as a model for arthritis and the resulting fibrils can be used to form new extracellular matrix biomaterials and new tissues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: Matrix Odyssey, LLC
    Inventors: Joseph Orgel, Olga Antipova
  • Polypeptides having endopeptidase activity and polynucleotides encoding same
    Patent number: 9458446
    Abstract: The present invention relates to polypeptides having endopeptidase activity and to methods of producing and using the polypeptides. The invention also relates to methods of making a food protein hydrolysate using a trypsin-like endopeptidase derived from a bacterium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Peter Rahbek Oestergaard, Carsten P. Sonksen, Tine Hoff, Gitte B. Lynglev
  • Method for producing 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid
    Patent number: 9447443
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for conveniently and efficiently producing a 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid-type compound that is a stable compound by a process using a microorganism. Specifically the present invention provides a microorganism having an ability to produce 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid, that is modified so as to increase an activity to form 3-amino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid from dihydroxyacetone phosphate and aspartate semialdehyde, wherein the microorganism is modified so as to increase an N-hydroxyarylamine O-acetyltransferase (NhoA) activity, as well as a method for producing the 3-acetylamino-4-hydroxybenzoic acid-type compound using such a microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2016
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Fumi Shozui, Yoshinori Tajima, Keiichi Yokoyama
  • Biomass productivity regulator
    Patent number: 9441020
    Abstract: The disclosure generally relates to methods and materials for modulating cell productivity. In particular, the present disclosure provides polynucleotides and polypeptides that when overexpressed in microorganisms result in increased in productivity, such as increased biomass productivity. Also disclosed are methods of using the polynucleotides and polypeptides to modulate or increase productivity of host cells such as, for example, algal or heterokont cells. Genetically engineered host cells, such as algal and heterokont cells having increased biomass productivity and bioproducts derived from such host cells are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Synthetic Genomics, Inc.
    Inventors: Imad Ajjawi, Moena Aqui, Carlos Chavez-Torres
  • Transformant and method for producing same, and method for producing lactic acid
    Patent number: 9428777
    Abstract: Objects of the present invention are to provide a transformant which can produce lactic acid with high productivity without requiring neutralization with an alkali, a method for producing the same, and a method for producing lactic acid by using the transformant. Namely, they are a transformant, in which Schizosaccharomyces pombe is used as a host, a lactate dehydrogenase gene of Lactobacillus pentosus is introduced, and a part of a gene cluster encoding a pyruvate decarboxylase in the Schizosaccharomyces pombe host is deleted or inactivated; a method for producing the transformant; and a method for producing lactic acid by using the transformant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: ASAHI GLASS COMPANY, LIMITED
    Inventors: Futoshi Hara, Shuichiro Kimura
  • DNA encoding dipeptide-synthesizing enzyme (variants), bacterium belonging to the genus , and methods for producing dipeptides using thereof
    Patent number: 9428783
    Abstract: The present invention describes novel bacterial L-amino acids ?-ligases, which catalyzing reaction of dipeptide formation having an acidic L-amino acid such as L-Asp or L-Glu at the N-terminus. The method for producing dipeptides using said L-amino acids ?-ligases and a bacterium of the family Enterobacteriaceae, particularly a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, which has been modified to contain the DNA encoding said L-amino acids ?-ligases, is described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Sergey Vasilievich Smirnov, Pavel Mikhailovich Sokolov, Takayuki Ito
  • Methods for using polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity
    Patent number: 9422537
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellobiohydrolase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2016
    Inventors: Marc D. Morant, Paul Harris