Patents Examined by David J. Steadman
  • Patent number: 9175319
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing L-amino acids by fermentation using a bacterium of the family Enterobacteriaceae, particularly a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia, which has been modified to attenuate expression of the yjjK gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Natalia Viktorovna Stoynova, Valery Vasilievich Samsonov, Natalia Sergeevna Eremina, Evgeniya Aleksandrovna Polyakova
  • Patent number: 9175256
    Abstract: The invention provides transgenic photosynthetic microorganisms that include non-native genes encoding polypeptides having lipolytic activity for production of free fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives, and methods of producing free fatty acids and fatty acid derivatives using the transgenic microorganisms disclosed herein. The invention also provides transgenic microorganisms that include non-native genes encoding polypeptides having lipolytic activity, and novel genes encoding polypeptides demonstrating lipolytic activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: EXXONMOBIL RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY
    Inventors: You Chen, Thomas E. Wall, Stanley Bower, Robert Christopher Brown, Jennifer Coppersmith
  • Patent number: 9175052
    Abstract: The disclosure describes methods for the purification of protein-enriched extracts to provide concentrates and isolates and methods for incorporation of such materials into products. The purification methods are adapted for removal of one or more of ash, metal salts, alkaloids, particulates, heavy metals, and other impurities and/or contaminants from extracts, as well as modifying the sensory characteristics (e.g., odor, color, and/or taste characteristics) of extracts. The methods generally include diafiltration, treatment with functionalized resins, and supercritical extraction. A protein composition in the form of a concentrate or isolate is provided, the protein composition including RuBisCO, F2 fraction proteins, or combination thereof extracted from a plant of the Nicotiana species, wherein the protein composition is characterized by one or more of: an ash content of less than about 15% by weight; a nicotine content of less than about 10 ?g/g; and a heavy metal content of less than about 60 ?g/g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Anthony Richard Gerardi, Crystal Dawn Hege Byrd, Thaddeus Jude Jackson, Chelsea Allison Betts, John-Paul Mua, Kyle Ford
  • Patent number: 9175282
    Abstract: The present invention has objects to provide a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, its preparation and uses. The present invention attains the above objects by providing a thermostable cellobiose 2-epimerase, a DNA encoding the enzyme, a recombinant DNA and transformant comprising the DNA, a process for producing the enzyme, and a process for producing isomerized saccharides using the enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: HAYASHIBARA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hikaru Watanabe, Masahiro Yagi, Tomoyuki Nishimoto, Hiroto Chaen, Shigeharu Fukuda
  • Patent number: 9169472
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polypeptide with an amino acid sequence according to SEQ ID NO: 1 and fragments or derivatives thereof. The present invention further relates to fusion proteins comprising said polypeptide and an additional peptide stretch fused to said polypeptide at the N- or C-terminus. Moreover, the present invention relates to nucleic acid molecules encoding said polypeptide or fusion protein, vectors comprising said nucleic acid molecules and host cells comprising either said nucleic acid molecules or said vectors. In addition, the present invention relates to said polypeptide or fusion protein for use as a medicament, in particular for the treatment or prevention of Gram-negative bacterial infections, as diagnostic means, as cosmetic substance or as sanitizing agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignees: LYSANDO AG, KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT LEUVEN, K.U. LEUVEN R&D
    Inventors: Yves Briers, Rob Lavigne, Maarten Walmagh, Stefan Miller
  • Patent number: 9170263
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the quantitative detection of a target protein in a sample, in which the second-generation fragment ions are detected for providing a series of quantitative measurements, at least one of which is correlated to the amount of proteotypic peptide generated and to the amount of target protein in the sample, characterized in that the selected first-generation fragment ion having a mass (m/z)2 is a doubly-charged peptide having a proline and/or a histidine in position 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignees: bioMerieux, UNIVERSITE CLAUDE BERNARD LYON I, CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE
    Inventors: Jérôme Lemoine, Arnaud Salvador, Jean-Philippe Charrier, Tanguy Fortin
  • Patent number: 9169504
    Abstract: There is provided a method for culturing a microorganism in which a particular polynucleotide or a recombinant vector comprising it/them is introduced with an intermediate compound necessary for biosynthesis of pyripyropene A. The method of the present invention allows for the production of pyripyropene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: MEIJI SEIKA PHARMA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Anzai, Kentaro Yamamoto, Kazuhiko Oyama, Mariko Tsuchida, Kimihiko Goto, Masaaki Mitomi
  • Patent number: 9168326
    Abstract: The invention relates to novel collagen materials and, specifically, collagen membranes, tubes and threads. Said materials combine enhanced properties of resilience and strength. The invention also relates to a method for preparing collagen materials using acid fibrous collagen comprising coagulation and, optionally, cross-linking of the collagen in the presence of ammonia gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: BIOM'UP
    Inventors: Christian Gagnieu, Patricia Forest, Sylvain Picot
  • Patent number: 9169485
    Abstract: The invention provides recombinant ethanologenic bacteria, methods of making the bacteria and methods of producing ethanol using the bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: BP Corporation North America Inc.
    Inventors: David Nunn, Andrew MacDonald
  • Patent number: 9169502
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method utilizing a recombinant microorganism for the production of aspartate derived amino acids and precursors thereof, in particular for the production of L-lysine. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a recombinant microorganism having improved aspartate-derived amino acid synthesis activity in comparison to the initial microorganism and the use of such microorganisms in producing said amino acids and precursors and derivatives, in particular in the synthesis of L-lysine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2015
    Assignee: Paik Kwang Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Christoph Wittmann, Judith Becker
  • Patent number: 9163062
    Abstract: The invention provides conjugates comprising albumin and a peptide derived from the C-terminal region of amyloid beta peptide, as well as uses thereof for the treatment of diseases characterized by the deposition of amyloid proteins and, in particular, for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Aracion Biotech S.L.
    Inventor: J. Manuel Sarasa Barrio
  • Patent number: 9157075
    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: January 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc D. Morant, Paul Harris
  • Patent number: 9157914
    Abstract: The invention includes a method of distinguishing among oral bacteria species to determine whether a species is orally deleterious. Such method includes contacting at least one bacterium or portion of a bacterium of a species of oral bacteria a gingival cell; and detecting the presence of an indicator compound. The substantial absence of an indicator material signifies that the species of bacteria is not a deleterious species. Also included within the scope of the invention are methods for determining the anti-inflammatory effect of an agent. Such methods include contacting the cell with the agent in the presence of a deleterious bacterium or portion of such bacterium and detecting the presence of an indicator compound. The substantial absence of an indicator material signifies that agent is an anti-inflammatory agent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2015
    Assignee: Colgate-Palmolive Company
    Inventor: Prem Sreenivasan
  • Patent number: 9150895
    Abstract: A method of hydrolysis of cellulose uses a filamentous fungus-derived cellulase as a carbohydrase and includes adding the carbohydrase to cellulose to perform primary hydrolysis and then subjecting the primary hydrolysate to solid-liquid separation into a primary sugar liquid and solids; adding water to the solids and performing secondary hydrolysis, followed by subjecting the secondary hydrolysate to solid-liquid separation into a secondary sugar liquid and a residue; and filtering the primary sugar liquid and/or secondary sugar liquid through an ultrafiltration membrane, and recovering the carbohydrase from the feed side and recovering a sugar solution from the permeate side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: Toray Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kurihara, Atsushi Minamino, Yuki Yamamoto, Katsushige Yamada
  • Patent number: 9150827
    Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid comprising: a) cultivating in a medium containing glycerol a recombinant coryneform bacteria which produces the desired L-amino acid and which expresses at least one heterologous polynucleotide of glycerol metabolism, such as glpA, glpB, glpC, glpD, glpE, glpF, glpG, glpK, glpQ, gipT, glpX, gldA, dhaK, dhaL, dhaM, dhaR, fsa, and/or talC, and b) isolating the desired L-amino acid. Preferably, the pathways producing the desired L-amino acid in the coryneform bacteria are amplified.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: EVONIK DEGUSSA GmbH
    Inventors: Volker F. Wendisch, Doris Rittmann, Hermann Sahm, Caroline Kreutzer
  • Patent number: 9150887
    Abstract: The invention relates to bacterium that have increased resistance to furfural and methods of preparation. The invention also relates to methods of producing ethanol using the bacterium and corresponding kits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 6, 2015
    Assignee: UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA RESEARCH FOUNDATION, INC.
    Inventors: Elliot Norman Miller, Laura R. Jarboe, Lorraine P. Yomano, Sean W. York, Keelnatham Shanmugam, Lonnie O'Neal Ingram
  • Patent number: 9145567
    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: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 29, 2015
    Assignee: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
    Inventors: Dana J. Wohlbach, Audrey P. Gasch
  • Patent number: 9139823
    Abstract: The present invention provides isolated polypeptides having endoglucanase activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also provides nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cell comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Ye Liu, Junxin Duan, Lan Tang
  • Patent number: 9139863
    Abstract: Provided herein are conformationally stabilized ubiquitin proteins and methods for using the same to identify agents that bind to the stabilized ubiquitin protein or that bind to a protein that interacts with or processes the stabilized form of the ubiquitin protein. Also provided herein are methods for screening for conformationally stabilized proteins having increased binding affinity to a binding partner in comparison to the binding affinity of the wildtype form of the protein to the binding partner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 22, 2015
    Assignee: Genentech, Inc.
    Inventors: Jacob E. Corn, Yingnan Zhang, Aaron H. Phillips
  • Patent number: 9131724
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods of removing contaminating microcystins toxins from preparations of blue-green algae. It also relates to methods of purifying phycocyanin from blue-green algae extracts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2015
    Assignee: Cerule, LLC
    Inventors: Axel Ehmann, Jesse Guthrie