Patents Examined by John E. Tarcza
  • Patent number: 4355104
    Abstract: A non-lysozyme highly active bacteriolytic protein which is heat stable and has a relatively low molecular weight. The protein may be produced by immunizing an insect against E. coli and recovering the protein from the insect. The protein is useful for extracting proteins from genetically engineered bacteria and as a pharmaceutical.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1980
    Date of Patent: October 19, 1982
    Assignee: Kabigen AB
    Inventors: Dan Hultmark, Hakan Steiner, Torgny Rasmuson, Hans G. Boman
  • Patent number: 4349628
    Abstract: A process for the manufacture of ethanol or a like volatile organic compound by fermenting a carbohydrate with a micro-organism which will convert the carbohydrate into ethanol or a like volatile organic compound, continuously transferring a portion of the fermentation medium to a separator where ethanol or the like volatile organic compound is evaporated from the fermentation medium at a temperature which is not deleterious to the micro-organism by subjecting the fermentation medium to a reduced pressure and recycling part or all of the remaining fermentation medium to the fermenter, the rate of the circulation of fermentation medium from the fermenter to the separator and back being such that the amount of ethanol or like volatile organic compound in the fermentation medium in the fermenter is kept sufficiently low so as not to detrimentally affect the rate of fermentation, compressing the vapor issuing from the separator thereby raising its temperature, and recondensing the compressed vapor in a heat trans
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Assignee: Kins Developments Limited
    Inventors: Martin English, David P. Pym, Lindsay G. Dawson
  • Patent number: 4349631
    Abstract: A process for producing a heat-resistant acetate kinase is described, comprising culturing cells of Strain UK 788 (FERM-P No. 5141), a new strain of thermophilic Bacillus stearothermophilus having an appreciably elongated cell and recovering a heat-resistant acetate kinase from the culture obtained. According to the process, a heat-resistant acetate kinase can be produced efficiently on an industrial scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 1980
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1982
    Assignee: Unitika Ltd.
    Inventor: Masao Kagayama
  • Patent number: 4346173
    Abstract: A process for the production of acyl-Coenzyme A oxidase, comprises culturing an acyl-Coenzyme A-oxidase-producing microorganism belonging to genus Macrophomina, genus Cladosporium, genus Aspergillus, genus Monascus, genus Saccharomyces or genus Arthrobacter in a nutrient medium, and isolating the thus-formed acyl-CoA oxidase therefrom. The preferred species of microorganism are Macrophomina phaseoli ATCC 14383, Cladosporium resinae IFO 6367, Aspergillus candidus M-4815 FERM-P No. 5226, Monascus sp. M-4800 FERM-P No. 5225, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y 0036 FERM-P No. 5174, and Arthrobacter sp. B-720 FERM-P No. 5224, respectively.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 24, 1982
    Assignee: Toyo Jozo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shigeru Ikuta, Shigeyuki Imamura, Hidehiko Ishikawa, Kazuo Matsuura, Masaki Takada, Hideo Misaki
  • Patent number: 4336335
    Abstract: Water soluble oxygenated hydrocarbons produced by microbial fermentation, e.g., ethanol, butanol, acetone, etc., are conveniently and economically recovered with a minimum expenditure of energy by passing heated by-product carbon dioxide gas through at least a portion of the fermentation medium to simultaneously vaporize and carry off oxygenated hydrocarbon fermentation product dissolved therein and reduce the temperature of the fermentation medium to a level conducive to maximum oxygenated hydrocarbon production. The vaporized oxygenated hydrocarbon fermentation product is separated from the carbon dioxide gas in a scrubbing unit and the resulting aqueous solution of product is concentrated, if desired, by distillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1980
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1982
    Assignee: National Distillers & Chemical Corp.
    Inventors: Werner C. Muller, Franklyn D. Miller
  • Patent number: 4326036
    Abstract: An integrated process is provided for producing ethanol from sugar cane. Harvested cane is chopped and shredded to provide a mass of fiber and juice which is digested in a first digester with a hemicellulase enzyme. Fibrous residue is separated by centrifuge and passed to a second digester for digestion with a mixed culture of a cellulase enzyme and an ethanol-producing culture. Fibrous residue from is pressed to provide a recycle juice extract and then burned to provide at least part of the heat energy requirement of the process. Juice extracts from digesters separated by centrifuges are combined, sterilized, flashed and passed to a fermentor for fermentation with an ethanol-producing microorganism. Ethanol is recovered from the process by separation utilizing a membrane.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1980
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1982
    Inventor: Frank W. Hayes
  • Patent number: 4321328
    Abstract: A process for the production of ethanol, useful as a fuel, from various cellulose-containing materials by saccharification, fermentation and distillation of the resultant fermented ethanol-containing beer to recover ethanol; which comprises the formation of a slurry of the material being saccharified by recycling a portion of the resultant fermented ethanol-containing beer back to the incoming material being subjected to saccharification whereby the concentration of ethanol during fermentation and subsequent distillation treatment is substantially increased over that utilizing no recycling treatment, the process being carried out at under normal atmospheric conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1982
    Inventor: William H. Hoge