Patents Examined by Kagnew H. Gebreyesus
  • Polypeptide
    Patent number: 10174300
    Abstract: The invention relates to a polypeptide, a corresponding nucleic acid molecule, a construct and/or vector and/or cell comprising such nucleic acid molecule and/or a composition comprising said polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, construct, vector and/or cell. The invention further relates to such composition for medical use, preferably for use in treating an infectious disease. Furthermore, the invention relates to the use of said polypeptide, nucleic acid molecule, construct, vector, cell and/or composition as an antimicrobial, preferably as a food additive or disinfectant, or for detecting bacteria, preferably in a diagnostic application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: MICREOS HUMAN HEALTH B.V.
    Inventors: Martin Johannes Loessner, Fritz Eichenseher
  • Innovative discovery of therapeutic, diagnostic, and antibody compositions related to protein fragments of glutamyl-prolyl-tRNA synthetases
    Patent number: 10160814
    Abstract: Provided are compositions comprising newly identified protein fragments of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, polynucleotides that encode them and complements thereof, related agents, and methods of use thereof in diagnostic, drug discovery, research, and therapeutic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignees: aTyr Pharma, Inc., Pangu BigPharma Limited
    Inventors: Leslie Ann Greene, Kyle P. Chiang, Fei Hong, Alain P. Vasserot, Wing-Sze Lo, Jeffry D. Watkins, Cheryl L. Quinn, John D. Mendlein
  • Engineered phenylalanine ammonia lyase polypeptides
    Patent number: 10160963
    Abstract: The present invention provides engineered phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) polypeptides and compositions thereof, as well as polynucleotides encoding the engineered phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Gjalt W. Huisman, Nicholas J. Agard, Benjamin Mijts, Jonathan Vroom, Xiyun Zhang
  • Use of an amino acid auxotrophy cured prokaryotic strain for the recombinant production of a polypeptide
    Patent number: 10155970
    Abstract: Herein is reported a method for producing a polypeptide in a prokaryotic cell, comprising the step of cultivating a prokaryotic cell comprising one or more nucleic acids encoding the polypeptide in a chemically defined minimal growth medium and recovering the polypeptide from the prokaryotic cell or the periplasm of the prokaryotic cell or from the medium, wherein the prokaryotic cell is an amino acid auxotrophy cured prokaryotic cell, wherein growth of the amino acid auxotrophy cured prokaryotic cell compared to the non-cured prokaryotic cell under the same cultivation conditions and in the same growth medium requires the supplementation of fewer amino acids to the growth medium, and wherein the chemically defined minimal growth medium is free of the amino acid corresponding to the auxotrophy that has been cured in the auxotrophy cured prokaryotic cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: HOFFMANN-LA ROCHE INC.
    Inventors: Erhard Kopetzki, Christian Schantz
  • Transformed strain having capability of producing squalene from carbon dioxide and method for producing squalene using the same
    Patent number: 10155964
    Abstract: The present specification discloses a transformed Synechococcus elongatus strain which may directly produce squalene from carbon dioxide, and a method for producing squalene and a method for removing carbon dioxide, using the same. In an aspect, the strain may produce squalene using carbon dioxide as a carbon source. The Synechococcus elongatus strain is economically efficient because a high-value added squalene is produced using light and carbon dioxide present in the atmosphere as a carbon source, and the method for producing squalene is eco-friendly because the strain may be utilized to remove or reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere by using microorganisms. The strain of the present disclosure may produce only squalene, which is a desired target material with high purity, and has an advantage in that squalene may be continuously mass-produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Han Min Woo, Sun-young Choi, Youngsoon Um, Gyeong Taek Gong, Sun Mi Lee, Yunje Kim
  • Screening method
    Patent number: 10155972
    Abstract: Provided is a high-throughput coupled enzyme method of screening for a tryptophan-2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) inhibitor compound and/or an indoleamine-2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) inhibitor compound, which method comprises: (a) reacting tryptophan with isolated IDO and/or isolated TDO in the presence of a test compound to form N-formylkynurenine; (b) reacting N-formylkynurenine from step (a) with isolated kynurenine formamidase to form kynurenine; and (c) detecting the kynurenine produced in step (b) and determining whether the test compound is a TDO and/or an IDO inhibitor compound or not from the presence or absence or quantity of the detected kynurenine, wherein step (a) is conducted in the presence of a reducing system suitable for converting IDO and/or TDO from the Fe3+ to the Fe2+ state, and which does not prevent the formation of kynurenine in step (c).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2018
    Assignee: Iomet Pharma Ltd.
    Inventors: Bill Hunter, Stuart McElroy, Alan Wise
  • Innovative discovery of therapeutic, diagnostic, and antibody compositions related to protein fragments of threonyl-tRNA synthetases
    Patent number: 10150958
    Abstract: Provided are compositions comprising newly identified protein fragments of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, polynucleotides that encode them and complements thereof, related agents, and methods of use thereof in diagnostic, drug discovery, research, and therapeutic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignees: aTyr Pharma, Inc., Pangu Biopharma Limited
    Inventors: Leslie Ann Greene, Kyle P. Chiang, Fei Hong, Alain P. Vasserot, Wing-Sze Lo, Jeffry D. Watkins, Cheryl L. Quinn, John D. Mendlein
  • Engineered phenylalanine ammonia lyase polypeptides
    Patent number: 10144924
    Abstract: The present invention provides engineered phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) polypeptides and compositions thereof, as well as polynucleotides encoding the engineered phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Gjalt W. Huisman, Nicholas J. Agard, Benjamin Mijts, Jonathan Vroom, Xiyun Zhang
  • Insertion of charge in the hydrophobic interior of proteins as a strategy for engineering pH-sensitive switches
    Patent number: 10138471
    Abstract: Methods are provided for engineering non-naturally occurring proteins comprising artificial pH-sensitive conformational switches that respond to a change in pH by causing a global unfolding of the proteins. Non-naturally occurring proteins comprising artificial pH-sensitive conformational switches that respond to a change in pH by causing a global unfolding of the proteins are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: THE JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Bertrand E. Garcia-Moreno, Aaron Robinson
  • D-lactic acid-producing strain and use thereof
    Patent number: 10138500
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for preparing a D-lactic acid-producing strain modified to inhibit L-lactate dehydrogenase (L-LDH) activity and to introduce D-lactate dehydrogenase (D-LDH) activity in an L-lactic acid-producing strain, a mutated D-lactic acid-producing strain prepared by the above method, and a method for producing D-lactic acid including the steps of culturing the strain and recovering D-lactic acid from the culture media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: CJ CHEIJEDANG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Eun Bin Yang, Tae Hee Lee, Seon Hye Kim, Young Lyeol Yang, Hong Xian Li
  • Increase production of isoprenoids in saccharomyces cerevisiae by carotenoid optimization and screening
    Patent number: 10131922
    Abstract: The invention is for an increased isoprenoid production by carotenoid optimization in an expression system and the carotegenic gene for optimization may be geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (GGPPS), phytoene synthase (PSY1), conserved CRTI or mutated CRT1A393T, BT1 of S. cerevisae. The carotogenic gene from red yeast which includes Rhodosporidium spp. Rhodotorula spp, Sporidiobolus spp., Leucosporidium spp., Sporobolomyes spp. is selected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2018
    Assignee: Indian Institute of Science Education and Research
    Inventors: Manisha Wadhwa, Anand Kumar Bachhawat
  • Methods and compounds for increasing threonyl-tRNA synthetase activity
    Patent number: 10125358
    Abstract: The invention includes, in part, methods and compounds for treating diseases and conditions characterized by reduced threonyl-tRNA synthetase (TARS) activity, which include, but are not limited to diseases and conditions in which angiogenesis is reduced as compared to normal. In some embodiments of the invention, a level of a TARS molecule is determined and compared to a control level of TARS to assess a treatment for a disease or condition characterized by reduced TARS activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: University of Vermont and State Agricultural College
    Inventors: Christopher Francklyn, Karen M. Lounsbury, Jason Botten
  • Polypeptides having glucoamylase activity and polynucleotides encoding same
    Patent number: 10125380
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having glucoamylase 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: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignees: NOVOZYMES A/S, NOVOZYMES NORTH AMERICA, INC.
    Inventors: Sara Landvik, Marc Dominique Morant, Keiichi Ayabe, Guillermo Coward-Kelly
  • Acyl-ACP thioesterases and mutants thereof
    Patent number: 10125382
    Abstract: Novel plant acyl-ACP thioesterase genes of the FatB and FatA classes and proteins encoded by these genes are disclosed. The genes are useful for constructing recombinant host cells having altered fatty acid profiles. Expression of the novel and/or mutated FATB and FATA genes is demonstrated in oleaginous microalga host cells. Furthermore, a method for producing an oil elevated in one or more of C12:0, C14:0, C16:0, C18:0 and/or C18:1 fatty acids includes transforming a cell with novel and/or mutated FATB and/or FATA genes, e.g., having an N-terminal deletion. The cells produce triglycerides with altered and useful fatty acid profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: CORBION BIOTECH, INC.
    Inventors: Jason Casolari, George N. Rudenko, Scott Franklin, Xinhua Zhao
  • Microbial production of fuel components from low-molecular weight gas mixtures
    Patent number: 10106825
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and metabolically engineered microorganisms are contemplated in which low molecular weight gases, and especially methane and syngas are used as a carbon source, and in which CO2 or formaldehyde and reduction equivalents are generated for use in in vivo production of the value products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2018
    Assignee: Easel Biotechnologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yi-Xin Huo, Lars Erik Ulf Rohlin, Shahrooz Rabizadeh
  • Histidyl-tRNA synthetase-Fc conjugates
    Patent number: 10093915
    Abstract: The present invention provides histidyl-tRNA synthetase and Fc region conjugate polypeptides (HRS-Fc conjugates), such as HRS-Fc fusion polypeptides, compositions comprising the same, and methods of using such conjugates and compositions for treating or diagnosing a variety of conditions. The HRS-Fc conjugates of the invention have improved controlled release properties, stability, half-life, and other pharmacokinetic and biological properties relative to corresponding, unmodified HRS polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2018
    Assignee: aTyr Pharma Inc.
    Inventors: Chi-Fang Wu, Darin Lee, Jeffry D. Watkins, Kristi Piehl, Kyle P. Chiang, Marc Thomas, Minh-Ha Do, Ying Buechler, John D. Mendlein
  • Carotene hydroxylases and their use for producing carotenoids
    Patent number: 10081797
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel hydroxylases, nucleic acid sequences coding therefore, expression constructs and vectors comprising these sequences, microorganisms transformed therewith, processes for the microbiological hydroxylation of isoprenoids, for example processes for converting beta-carotene into beta-cryptoxanthin and zeaxanthin, or canthaxanthin into astaxanthin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 25, 2018
    Assignee: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Christopher Farrell, Maria Mayorga, Bastien Chevreux
  • Method for the fermentative production of L-amino acids using improved strains of the family
    Patent number: 10077457
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for the fermentative production of L-amino acids using microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, which harbor an attenuated proP gene, to the microorganisms suitable for said production and to polynucleotides coding for variants of the ProP transporter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 31, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2018
    Assignee: EVONIK DEGUSSA GMBH
    Inventors: Brigitte Bathe, Stella Molck, Horst Priefert
  • Strain having enhanced L-valine productivity and L-valine production method using the same
    Patent number: 10072278
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel L-valine-producing strain which is transformed so as to strengthen the expression of L-valine operon by having a nucleotide sequence, for coding a leader peptide in a regulatory region of ilvBN operon, entirely deleted, or partially deleted or substituted. In addition, the present invention relates to a method for producing L-valine using the novel L-valine-producing strain. According to the novel valine-producing strain and the L-valine production method of the present invention using the strain, there is an advantageous effect of producing L-valine at high efficiency and high yield.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2018
    Assignee: CJ Cheiljedang Corporation
    Inventors: Hye Won Kim, Ji Hye Lee, Byeong Cheol Song, Jong Hyun Kim, Han Hyoung Lee, Ae Ji Jeon
  • Yeast cells having NADP(H)-dependent reductive TCA pathway from pyruvate to succinate
    Patent number: 10066246
    Abstract: Recombinant yeast cells contain a reductive TCA pathway from phosphoenolpyruvate or pyruvate to succinate. At least one metabolic step in the pathway includes a reaction of NADPH to produce NADP+. The yeast cell contains at least one exogenous NADPH-dependent gene in the pathway from phosphoenolpyruvate or pyruvate to succinate, preferably an NADPH-dependent malate dehydrogensase or fumarate reducase gene (or both).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: CARGILL, INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Brian J. Rush, Kevin T. Watts, Vernon L. McIntosh, Arlene M. Fosmer, Gregory M. Poynter, Thomas W. McMullin