Patents Examined by Malgorzata A. Walicka
  • Composition exhibiting a von willebrand factor (vWF) protease activity comprising a polypeptide chain with the amino acid sequence AAGGILHLELLV
    Patent number: 6926894
    Abstract: The invention relates to vWF cleaving entities having a molecular weight of 180 kD, 170 kD, 160 kD, 120 kD or 110 kD and an N-terminal amino acid sequence of AAGGILHLELLV (SEQ ID NO: 1), vWF cleaving complexes and methods for their production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 9, 2005
    Assignee: Baxter Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Bernhard Laemmle, Helena Elisabeth Gerritsen, Miha Furlan, Peter Turecek, Hans-Peter Schwarz, Friedrich Scheiflinger, Gerhard Antoine, Randolf Kerschbaumer, Luigina Tagliavacca, Klaus Zimmermann
  • Protein complementing yeast low temperature-sensitivity fermentability
    Patent number: 6924132
    Abstract: The present invention relates to yeast having DNA encoding a protein having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, or a gene which comprises DNA having the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2005
    Assignee: Kyowa Hakko Kogyo Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hideki Kawasaki, Masaya Tokai, Yasuhiro Kikuchi, Kozo Ouchi
  • Telomerase
    Patent number: 6921664
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTRT) protein, variant, or fragment. The present invention is also directed to host cells that comprise expression vectors comprising a polynucleotide that encodes a hTRT protein variant, or fragment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignees: Regents of the University of Colorado, Geron Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas R. Cech, Joachim Lingner, Toru Nakamura, Karen B. Chapman, Gregg B. Morin, Calvin B. Harley, William H. Andrews
  • Regulation of carbon assimilation
    Patent number: 6919190
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of increasing the productivity of a microorganism by improving the assimilation of carbon dioxide. Specifically, the invention provides a polypeptide having phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity which does not require acetyl coenzyme A for activation and is desensitized to feedback inhibition by aspartic acid, and to genes coding for this polypeptide. A gene encoding a PEP carboxylase that is not regulated by acetyl-CoA or aspartic acid can improve carbon flow from the three carbon intermediate PEP to the four carbon intermediate OAA, contribute to compounds derived from OAA, and increase amino acid biosynthesis. The invention further provides recombinant DNA molecules containing these genes, bacteria transformed with these genes, and a method of producing amino acids using the transformed bacteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Archer-Daniels-Midland Company
    Inventors: P. John Rayapati, Corey M. Crafton
  • Vertebrate telomerase genes and proteins and uses thereof
    Patent number: 6916642
    Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules encoding vertebrate telomerase are provided. Gene products, expression vectors and host cells suitable for expressing telomerase are also provided. Methods for identifying inhibitors of telomerase activity and inhibitor compositions are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: The Monticello Group, LTD
    Inventors: Andrzej Kilian, David Bowtell
  • PON3 and uses thereof
    Patent number: 6916472
    Abstract: The present invention relates to paraoxonase genes, in particular PON3. The present invention provides isolated nucleotide sequence encoding PON3, wild type and mutant PON3 peptides. The present invention also provides methods for using PON3 to screen compounds for the ability to alter PON3 associated activities, methods for generating antibodies useful in the detection of PON3, and methods of treating and preventing oxidative damage, sepsis, chemical toxicity, and other conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2005
    Assignee: Regents of the University of Michigan
    Inventors: Bert N. La Du, Dragomir I. Draganov, Phillip L. Stetson, Catherine E. Watson
  • Anthrax lethal factor is a MAPK kinase protease
    Patent number: 6911203
    Abstract: The present invention relates to in vitro and ex vivo methods of screening for modulators, homologues, and mimetics of lethal factor mitogen activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK) protease activity, as well as methods of treating cancer by administering LF to transformed cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
    Inventors: Nicholas Duesbery, Craig Webb, Stephen Leppla, George Vande Woude
  • GNK interacting amino acid decarboxylase and methods of use thereof
    Patent number: 6911336
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a novel polypeptide that contains an amino acid decarboxylase domain, and is a substrate for caspase-3. Nucleic acids that encode the novel polypeptide and antibodies to the polypeptide are also part of the present invention. Methods of using the polypeptide, the nucleic acids and antibodies are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2005
    Assignee: Immunex Corporation
    Inventors: Pamela M. Holland, G. Duke Virca, Timothy A. Bird, Kirsten Garka
  • Artificial chromosome
    Patent number: 6905860
    Abstract: An artificial mammalian chromosome, more specifically, a clone containing a mammalian centromere sequence and a DNA replication origin with mammalian telomere sequences added to both ends of the clone, is provided by preparing a CEPH artificial yeast chromosome library containing a human genome, identifying clones having a repetitive human alphoid sequence from this library, and further preparing a yeast strain in which mammalian telomere sequences are added to the ends of its chromosome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2005
    Assignee: DNAVEC Research Inc.
    Inventors: Fuyuki Ishikawa, Mamoru Hasegawa
  • Desaturase genes and their use
    Patent number: 6897050
    Abstract: cDNA encoding C. elegans ?6 desaturase has been cloned and sequenced, and the ?6 desaturase amino acid sequence has been determined: The C. elegans ?6 desaturase has a surprisingly low level of sequence identity with the known borage ?6 desaturase. The C. elegans ?6 desaturase has been expressed in yeast. It and other desaturases can be cloned in host organisms (e.g. plants) and can be used to provide useful metabolites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2005
    Assignee: University of Bristol
    Inventor: Johnathan A. Napier
  • Transglutaminase ztg2
    Patent number: 6887695
    Abstract: Transglutaminase polypeptides, polynucleotides encoding them, methods of making them, and methods of using them are disclosed. The polypeptides comprise residues 1-X of SEQ ID NO:2, wherein X is an integer from 462 to 704, inclusive. The compositions and methods of the invention may be used for a variety of purposes in industry, research, and medicine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2005
    Assignee: ZymoGenetics, Inc.
    Inventor: Brian A. Fox
  • Human protease inhibitor and polynucleotides encoding the same
    Patent number: 6875587
    Abstract: Novel human polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are disclosed that can be used in therapeutic, diagnostic, and pharmacogenomic applications
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 5, 2005
    Assignee: Lexicon Genetics Incorporated
    Inventors: Yi Hu, Boris Nepomnichy, D. Wade Walke
  • Human proteases and polynucleotides encoding the same
    Patent number: 6852521
    Abstract: Novel human polynucleotide and polypeptide sequences are disclosed that can be used in therapeutic, diagnostic, and pharmacogenomic applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Lexicon Genetics Incorporated
    Inventors: Gregory Donoho, C. Alexander Turner, Jr., Glenn Friedrich, John Scoville, Brian Zambrowicz, Arthur T. Sands
  • Fusion peptides isolatable by phase transition
    Patent number: 6852834
    Abstract: Genetically-encodable, environmentally-responsive fusion proteins comprising ELP peptides. Such fusion proteins exhibit unique physico-chemical and functional properties that can be modulated as a function of solution environment. The invention also provides methods for purifying the FPs, which take advantage of these unique properties, including high-throughput purification methods that produce high yields (e.g., milligram levels) of purified proteins, thereby yielding sufficient purified product for multiple assays and analyses. The high throughput purification technique is simpler and less expensive than current commercial high throughput purification methods, since it requires only one transfer of purification intermediates to a new multiwell plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Inventor: Ashutosh Chilkoti
  • Plant biotin synthase
    Patent number: 6849783
    Abstract: This invention relates to an isolated nucleic acid fragment encoding a biotin synthases. The invention also relates to the construction of a chimeric gene encoding all or a portion of the biotin synthases, in sense or antisense orientation, wherein expression of the chimeric gene results in production of altered levels of the biotin synthases in a transformed host cell.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: E. I. Dupont de Nemours & Company
    Inventors: Stephen M. Allen, Emil M. Orozco, Jr., Anthony J. Kinney, Guo-Hua Miao
  • Vertebrate telomerase genes and proteins and uses thereof
    Patent number: 6846662
    Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules encoding vertebrate telomerase are provided. Gene products, expression vectors and host cells suitable for expressing telomerase are also provided. Methods for identifying inhibitors of telomerase activity and inhibitor compositions are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Assignee: The Monticello Group Ltd.
    Inventors: Andrzej Kilian, David Bowtell
  • Serine protease genes related to DPPIV
    Patent number: 6844180
    Abstract: Novel proteins or polypeptides having significant sequence homology to DPPIV, nucleic acids coding therefor, cells which have been modified with such nucleic acid so as to express these proteins, antibodies to these proteins, screening methods for the discovery of new therapeutic agents which are inhibitors of the activity of these proteins or of related proteins, and therapeutic agents discovered by such screening methods, as well as new therapeutic treatments, are all provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Ferring BV
    Inventors: Steve Oi, Karen O. Akinsanya, Pierre J-M Riviere, Jean-Louis Junien
  • Pharmacological targeting of mRNA cap formation for treatment of parasitic infections
    Patent number: 6844167
    Abstract: This invention provides the genes encoding the RNA triphosphatase and RNA guanylyltransferase of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the catalytically active recombinant RNA triphosphatase and RNA guanylyltransferase enzymes. These enzymes form the basis of activity inhibition assays to identify molecules that specifically target the formation of the mRNA 5? cap in unicellular eukaryotic parasites.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Inventors: Stewart Shuman, Chong Kiong Ho
  • Propionibacteruim vector
    Patent number: 6830901
    Abstract: An endogenous plasmid of Propionibacterium is described, isolated from Propionibacteria freudenreichii LMG 16545 (deposited as CBS 101022), and its sequence provided. This plasmid can be used to transform Propionibacteria to express homologous or heterologous proteins, in the production of recombinant proteins or products of enzymes, for example vitamin B12.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: DSM IP Assets B.V.
    Inventors: Pieter Hendrik Pouwels, Nicole Van Luijk, Johannes P. M. Jore, Rudolf G. M. Luiten
  • Manganese superoxide dismutase cloning and expression in microoganisms
    Patent number: 6830906
    Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for the production of human manganese superoxide dismutase and a protocol for enhancing efficiency of expression. The gene encoding for human manganese superoxide dismutase was isolated and inserted into a vector in conjunction with a synthetic linker which provides for enhanced efficiency in translation. E. coli strain HB101 containing the plasmid Nco5AHSODm was deposited at the A.T.C.C. on Oct. 3, 1986 and given Accession No. 67191.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 14, 2004
    Assignee: Chiron Corporation
    Inventors: Robert Alexander Hallewell, Graeme Ian Bell, Guy Towns Mullenbach