Patents Examined by Delia Ramirez
  • Patent number: 8460893
    Abstract: The object of the invention is to provide a microorganism which enhances productivity of cellulase and is useful for industrial production of cellulase, and to provide a method for producing cellulase by use of the microorganism. The present invention provides a recombinant microorganism produced by transferring a gene encoding cellulase to a parental microorganism which has been genetically modified so as to overexpress a Bacillus subtilis secY gene or a gene corresponding thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Kao Corporation
    Inventors: Keiji Endo, Shenghao Liu, Katsutoshi Ara
  • Patent number: 8455239
    Abstract: The present invention provides recombinant mircoorganisms comprising an isobutanol producing metabolic pathway and methods of using said recombinant microorganisms to produce isobutanol. In various aspects of the invention, the recombinant microorganisms may comprise a modification resulting in the reduction of pyruvate decarboxylase and/or glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity. In various embodiments described herein, the recombinant microorganisms may be microorganisms of the Saccharomyces clade, Crabtree-negative yeast microorganisms, Crabtree-positive yeast microorganisms, post-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, pre-WGD (whole genome duplication) yeast microorganisms, and non-fermenting yeast microorganisms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Gevo, Inc.
    Inventors: Reid M. Renny Feldman, Uvini Gunawardena, Jun Urano, Peter Meinhold, Aristos Aristidou, Catherine Asleson Dundon, Christopher Smith
  • Patent number: 8450096
    Abstract: The invention relates to Citrobacter phytases derived from Citrobacter amalonaticus, Citrobacter gillenii, and related phytases. The phytases belong to the acid histidine phosphatase family, are acid-stable, and expectedly of a high specific activity. The invention also relates to the corresponding DNA, the recombinant and wild-type production of the phytases, as well as the use thereof, in particular in animal feed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Monica Takamiya Wik, Carsten Sjoholm
  • Patent number: 8435780
    Abstract: The invention provides histone deacetylase class II nucleic acids and polypeptides, methods and reagents for their use, and related compounds including small molecule libraries containing class II histone deacetylase inhibitors.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: President and Fellows of Harvard College
    Inventors: Christina M. Grozinger, Christian A. Hassig, Stuart L. Schreiber
  • Patent number: 8431123
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a treatment of diseases that are accompanied by quantitative and/or qualitative changes of blood extracellular DNA and, more particularly, to a treatment of systemic bacterial, fungal and protozoan infections. The inventive method comprises introducing a treatment agent into a circulating blood system of a patient diagnosed with systemic infection caused by bacteria, fungi or protozoa, wherein said treatment agent destroys extracellular DNA in said blood of said patient and wherein said treatment agent used to destroy said extracellular DNA is a DNase enzyme: said agent being administered in doses and regimens which are sufficient to decrease the average molecular weight of circulating extracellular blood DNA in the blood of said patient; such decrease in the average molecular weight can be measured by gel electrophoresis of extracellular blood DNA fraction from the blood of said patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: CLS Therapeutics Limited
    Inventors: Dmitry Dmitrievich Genkin, Georgy Viktorovich Tets, Viktor Veniaminovich Tets
  • Patent number: 8426178
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds. The engineered ketoreductase polypeptides are optimized for catalyzing the conversion of N,N-dimethyl-3-keto-3-(2-thienyl)-1-ketopropanamine to (S)—N,N-dimethyl-3-hydroxy-3-(2- thienyl)-1-propanamine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Christopher Savile, John M. Gruber, Emily Mundorff, Gjalt Huisman, Steven James Collier
  • Patent number: 8420367
    Abstract: The invention provides a mutant hydrolase protein with enhanced kinetics and functional expression, as well as polynucleotides encoding the mutant proteins and methods of using the polynucleotides and mutant proteins.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Aldis Darzins, Lance P. Encell, Rachel Friedman Ohana, Paul Otto, Gediminas Vidugiris, Keith V. Wood, Monika G. Wood, Kris Zimmerman, Michael R. Slater, Kate Qin Zhao
  • Patent number: 8415130
    Abstract: Disclosed are isolated polypeptides of Alicyclobacillus sp. having acid endoglucanase or acid cellulase activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Reinhard Wilting, Soren Flensted Lassen
  • Patent number: 8388951
    Abstract: A treatment for systemic DNA mutation diseases accompanied with development of somatic mosaicism and elevation of blood extracellular DNA and, more particularly, to a treatment of diabetes mellitus and atherosclerosis. The inventive method consist from introducing a treatment agent into a circulating blood system of a patient diagnosed with systemic DNA mutation diseases when said treatment agent destroys extracellular DNA in said blood of said patient and wherein said treatment agent used to destroy said extracellular DNA is a DNASE enzyme: said agent might be administered in doses and regimens which sufficient to decrease number average molecular weight of circulating extracellular blood DNA in the blood of said patient; such decrease of number average molecular weight might be measured by gel electrophoresis of extracellular blood DNA fraction from the blood of said patient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: CLS Therapeutics Limited
    Inventors: Dmitry Dmitrievich Genkin, Georgy Viktorovich Tets, Viktor Veniaminovich Tets
  • Patent number: 8383388
    Abstract: Provided are modified factor IX (FIX) polypeptides and methods of generating modified FIX polypeptides. Also provided are pharmaceutical compositions, including compositions formulation for oral administration, that contain the modified FIX polypeptides, and methods of treatment using modified FIX polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Catalyst Biosciences, Inc.
    Inventors: Jorge Oyhenart, Xavier Gallet, Gilles Borrelly, Thierry Guyon, Manuel Vega, Lila Drittanti
  • Patent number: 8383368
    Abstract: N-Acetyl-D-glucosamine can be produced by cultivating a fungus capable of producing N-acetyl-D-glucosamine, such as Trichoderma hamatum AB 10282 strain (FERM BP-10623) or Trichoderma harzianum AB10283 strain (FERM BP-10624), in a culture medium supplemented with a carbon source other than chitin and chitin oligosaccharide and a nitrogen source to produce and accumulate N-acetyl-D-glucosamine in the culture medium and then collecting N-acetyl-D-glucosamine from the culture medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hokko Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tetsuya Mori, Wakako Ichikawa, Yuichi Kita, Yasuyuki Tetsuka
  • Patent number: 8377674
    Abstract: Rationally-designed LAGLIDADG meganucleases and methods of making such meganucleases are provided. In addition, methods are provided for using the meganucleases to generate recombinant cells and organisms having a desired DNA sequence inserted into a limited number of loci within the genome, as well as methods of gene therapy, for treatment of pathogenic infections, and for in vitro applications in diagnostics and research.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Duke University
    Inventors: James Jefferson Smith, Derek Jantz, Homme W. Hellinga
  • Patent number: 8377666
    Abstract: The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms comprising a 1,4-butanediol (BDO), 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine pathway comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to produce BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine and further optimized for expression of BDO. The invention additionally provides methods of using such microbial organisms to produce BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Genomatica, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Haselbeck, John D. Trawick, Wei Niu, Anthony P. Burgard
  • Patent number: 8377667
    Abstract: The invention provides non-naturally occurring microbial organisms comprising a 1,4-butanediol (BDO), 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine pathway comprising at least one exogenous nucleic acid encoding a BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine pathway enzyme expressed in a sufficient amount to produce BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine and further optimized for expression of BDO. The invention additionally provides methods of using such microbial organisms to produce BDO, 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA, 4-hydroxybutanal or putrescine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Genomatica, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Haselbeck, John D. Trawick, Wei Niu, Anthony P. Burgard
  • Patent number: 8377642
    Abstract: In accordance with the invention, novel gene deletions and translocations involving chromosome 2 resulting in fusion proteins combining part of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) kinase with part of a secondary protein have now been identified in human solid tumors, e.g. non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). Secondary proteins include Echinoderm Microtubule-Associated Protein-Like 4 (EML-4) and TRK-Fusion Gene (TFG). The EML4-ALK fusion protein, which retains ALK tyrosine kinase activity, was confirmed to drive the proliferation and survival of NSCLC characterized by this mutation. The invention therefore provides, in part, isolated polynucleotides and vectors encoding the disclosed mutant ALK kinase polypeptides, probes for detecting it, isolated mutant polypeptides, recombinant polypeptides, and reagents for detecting the fusion and truncated polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 19, 2013
    Assignee: Cell Signaling Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Klarisa Rikova, Herbert Haack, Laura Sullivan, Ailan Guo, Anthony Possemato, Joan MacNeill, Ting-Lei Gu, Jian Yu
  • Patent number: 8361774
    Abstract: A protein is described that has an amino acid sequence characterized by at least 90% sequence identity with SEQ ID NO: 24, the protein being capable of recognizing a sequence consisting of 5?-GCCGAG-3? within the double-stranded DNA and cleaving the substrate predominantly at 21/19 nucleotides from the recognition site. A method is also described that utilizes the protein for creating a DNA tag for use as a unique identifier for paired end sequencing of DNA or serial analysis of gene expression.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: New England Biolabs, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard D. Morgan
  • Patent number: 8361773
    Abstract: Recombinant DNA encoding NruI- and SboI-like restriction endonucleases and methylases and their amino acid sequences are provided as well as methods for expressing the enzymes in transformed host cells and purifying the enzymes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: New England Biolabs, Inc.
    Inventors: Zhenyu Zhu, Jack S. Benner, II, Shuang-Yong Xu
  • Patent number: 8354256
    Abstract: Described are compositions and methods relating to the use of a glucoamylase in combination with a phytase in starch processing to reduce the levels of phytic acid in end-products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Danisco US Inc.
    Inventors: Suzanne Breneman, Oreste J. Lantero, Jr., Bradley A. Paulson, Jayarama K. Shetty
  • Patent number: 8338123
    Abstract: Process for the production of a food product involving at least one heating step, comprising adding one or more enzymes to an intermediate form of said food product in said production process whereby the enzyme is added prior to said heating step in an amount that is effective in reducing the level of amino acids that are present in said intermediate form of said food product which amino acids are involved in the formation of acrylamide during said heating step. The invention also relates to food products obtained from the process of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Jan Arnoldus Maria Plomp, Lex De Boer, Rutger Jan Van Rooijen, Roelf Bernhard Meima
  • Patent number: 8334129
    Abstract: Problem to be Solved: To provide a new microorganism capable of producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a PHA synthase gene, an expression cassette including the gene, a vector including the expression cassette, a transformant transformed by the vector, a polypeptide having PHA synthase activity, a method for producing a PHA synthase and a method for producing a PHA. Solution: The new microorganism is capable of producing a polyhydroxyalkanoate comprising a 16S rRNA gene whose polynucleotide sequence shows 99% or more homology to a polynucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID No: 1, having an optimum temperature of an activity temperature range for the growth and PHA production of the microorganism of at least 45° C. and being capable of growing at a pH range from 6 to 10.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi Chemical Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yasuharu Satou, Kenji Tajima, Masanobu Munekata, Tokuo Matsushima