Patents Examined by Rebecca E. Prouty
  • Patent number: 7425434
    Abstract: The invention relates to a new strain of Pseudomonas putida (designated as HI-70) and to the isolation, cloning, and sequencing of a cyclododecanone monooxygenase-encoding gene (named cdnB) from said strain. The invention also relates to a new cyclododecanone monooxygenase and to a method of use of the cyclododecanone monooxygenase-encoding gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: National Research Council of Canada
    Inventors: Hiroaki Iwaki, Yoshie Hasegawa, Peter C. K. Lau
  • Patent number: 7425436
    Abstract: A mutant hydrolase optionally fused to a protein of interest is provided. The mutant hydrolase is capable of forming a bond with a substrate for the corresponding nonmutant (wild-type) hydrolase which is more stable than the bond formed between the wild-type hydrolase and the substrate and has at least two amino acid substitutions relative to the wild-type hydrolase. Substrates for hydrolases comprising one or more functional groups are also provided, as well as methods of using the mutant hydrolase and the substrates of the invention. Also provided is a fusion protein capable of forming a stable bond with a substrate and cells which express the fusion protein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Aldis Darzins, Lance Encell, Georgyi V. Los, Keith V. Wood, Monika G. Wood, Chad Zimprich
  • Patent number: 7425450
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to hyphal growth in fungi and in particular describes the modulation of genes associated with hyphal growth in filamentous fungi. The present invention provides methods and systems for the production of proteins and/or chemicals from filamentous fungi which comprise modulation of genes associated with hyphal growth. Specifically, the present invention is directed to a full length cotA gene, its gene product and methods of use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2008
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Ali R. Akin, Elizabeth A. Bodie, Shirley M. Burrow, Nigel Dunn-Coleman, Geoffrey Turner, Michael Ward
  • Patent number: 7422886
    Abstract: The invention relates to a novel lipid kinase which is part of the PI3 Kinase family. PI3 Kinases catalyze the addition of phosphate to inositol generating inositol mono, di and triphosphate. Inositol phosphates have been implicated in regulating intracellular signaling cascades resulting in alternations in gene expression which, amongst other effects, can result in cytoskeletal remodeling and modulation of cellular motility. More particularly the invention relates to a novel human PI3 Kinase, p110? which interacts with p85, has a broad phosphinositide specificity and is sensitive to the same kinase inhibitors as PI3 Kinase p110A. However, in contrast to previously identified PI3 Kinases which show a ubiquitous pattern of expression, p110? is selectively expressed in leucocytes. Importantly, p110? shows enhanced expression in most melanomas tested and therefore may play a crucial role in regulating the metastatic property exhibited by melanomas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 2, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research
    Inventors: Bart Vanhasebroeck, Michael Derek Waterfield
  • Patent number: 7422873
    Abstract: CrtW carotenoid ketolases are provided useful for the production of astaxanthin. The ketolases genes of the present invention exhibit improved ketolase activity when converting cyclic hydroxylated carotenoid intermediates into astaxanthin. Recombinant expression of the present carotenoid ketolases in host cell producing cyclic hydroxylated carotenoid intermediates enabled increased production of astaxanthin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Kristen Janet Stead, Henry Yao, Rick W. Ye
  • Patent number: 7419812
    Abstract: Th invention is directed to nucleic acid sequences which encode polypeptides having PhzO activity, namely, the ability to convert phenazine-1-carboxylic acid to a 2-hydroxylated phenazine, and isolated polypeptides having this activity. The invention is also directed to recombinant nucleic acid molecules, vectors, and host cells including the nucleic acid sequences as well as methods for producing and using the polypeptides, including expression in bacterial or plant cells to inhibit fungal pathogens.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2004
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture, Washington State University Research Foundation
    Inventors: Linda S. Thomashow, Shannon M. Delaney, Dmitri V. Mavrodi, David M. Weller
  • Patent number: 7416871
    Abstract: A highly thermo-stable lactate oxidase has been provided by, in the lactate oxidase obtained from Aerococcus viridans, modifying the 6 amino acid residues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: NEC Corporation
    Inventor: Hirotaka Minagawa
  • Patent number: 7416723
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a therapeutic composition containing a pentavalent antimonial is provided. The pentavalent antimonial can be sodium stibogluconate, levamisole, ketoconazole, and pentamidine and biological equivalents of said compounds. Additionally, pentavalent antimonials that can be used in accordance with the present invention may be any such compounds which are anti-leishmaniasis agents. The therapeutic composition of this embodiment contains an effective amount of pentavalent antimonial that can be used in treating infectious diseases. The types of diseases that can be treated with the present invention include, but are not limited to, the following: diseases associated with PTPase activity, immune deficiency, cancer, infections (such as viral infections), hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. The types of cancers that the present embodiment can be used to treat include those such as lymphoma, multiple myeloma, leukemia, melanoma, prostate cancer, breast cancer, renal cancer, bladder cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2008
    Assignee: The Cleveland Clinic Foundation
    Inventor: Taolin Yi
  • Patent number: 7413887
    Abstract: The present invention is related to glucoamylases having at least 80% sequence identity to a Trichoderma glucoamylase having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 and biologically functional fragments thereof. The invention is also related to DNA sequences coding for the glucoamylases, vectors and host cells incorporating the DNA sequences, enzyme compositions and methods of using the glucoamylases in various applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Genecor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nigel Dunn-Coleman, Paulien Neefe-Kruithof, Craig E. Pilgrim, Piet Van Solingen, Donald E. Ward
  • Patent number: 7413882
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for converting plant cell wall polysaccharides into one or more products, comprising: treating the plant cell wall polysaccharides with an effective amount of a spent whole fermentation broth of a recombinant microorganism, wherein the recombinant microorganism expresses one or more heterologous genes encoding enzymes which degrade or convert the plant cell wall polysaccharides into the one or more products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Randy Berka, Joel Cherry
  • Patent number: 7413879
    Abstract: The present invention is related to glucoamylases having at least 80% sequence identity to a Trichoderma glucoamylase having the sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4 and biologically functional fragments thereof. The invention is also related to DNA sequences coding for the glucoamylases, vectors and host cells incorporating the DNA sequences, enzyme compositions and methods of using the glucoamylases in various applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2008
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Nigel Dunn-Coleman, Paulien Neefe-Kruithof, Craig E. Pilgrim, Piet van Solingen, Donald E. Ward
  • Patent number: 7410638
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated nucleic acid molecules encoding an autoinducer inactivation protein, wherein the encoded protein comprises an amino acid sequence selected from the group consisting of 104HXHXDH109˜60aa˜H169˜21aa˜D191 and 103HXHXDH108˜72aa˜H180˜21aa˜D202, and to expression vectors and transformed plant and animal cells comprising the same. The proteins encoded by these nucleic acid molecules provide to a susceptible plant or animal increased resistance to a disease the virulence of which is regulated by autoinducers. Also provided are methods of increasing disease resistance in susceptible plants and animals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Institute of Molecular Agrobiology
    Inventors: Lianhui Zhang, Yihu Dong, Haibao Zhang, Jinling Xu
  • Patent number: 7407935
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are polypeptides and variants thereof comprising a polypeptide sequence having substantial identity to ricin A chain (RTA) that lack detectable N-glycosidase-rRNA activity or exhibit reduced N-glycosidase-rRNA activity as compared to controls and methods of making and using thereof. The polypeptides and variants have a greater solubility in aqueous solutions of physiological pH and ionic strength than RTA and also retain the integrity of the neutralizing immunological epitope of wild type RTA. Also disclosed are immunogenic compositions that may be used to immunize a subject against ricin intoxication. Methods of immunizing against, treating, and preventing ricin intoxication are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Mark A. Olson, Charles B. Millard, Michael P. Byrne, Robert W. Wannemacher
  • Patent number: 7407788
    Abstract: The present invention provides a novel ?-glucosidase nucleic acid sequence, designated bgl7, and the corresponding BGL7 amino acid sequence. The invention also provides expression vectors and host cells comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding BGL7, recombinant BGL7 proteins and methods for producing the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 5, 2008
    Assignee: Danisco A/S, Genencor Division
    Inventors: Nigel Dunn-Coleman, Michael Ward
  • Patent number: 7405074
    Abstract: Novel proteins are provided herein, including proteins capable of catalyzing the acetylation of glyphosate and other structurally related proteins. Also provided are novel polynucleotides capable of encoding these proteins, compositions that include one or more of these novel proteins and/or polynucleotides, recombinant cells and transgenic plants comprising these novel compounds, diversification methods involving the novel compounds, and methods of using the compounds. Some of the novel methods and compounds provided herein can be used to render an organism, such as a plant, resistant to glyphosate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignees: Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Verdia Inc.
    Inventors: Linda A. Castle, Dan Siehl, Lorraine Giver, Jeremy Minshull, Christina Ivy, Yong Hong Chen, Phillip A. Patten, Rebecca Gorton, Nicholas B. Duck, Billy Fred McCutchen, Roger Kemble
  • Patent number: 7402412
    Abstract: A D-aminotransferase can be modified so as to efficiently produce (2R, 4R)-monatin having high sweetness intensity from 4-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutaric acid by substituting an amino acid at least at one of positions (positions 100, 180 to 183, 243 and 244) involved in efficiently producing the (2R, 4R)-monatin in an amino acid sequence of a wild-type D-aminotransferase represented in SEQ ID NO:2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Tatsuki Kashiwagi, Ei-ichiro Suzuki
  • Patent number: 7402406
    Abstract: The present invention identified OVARC1000473 (SEQ ID NO: 1) and NT2RM1000377 (SEQ ID NO: 3) as clones showing suppression of CREB activation by forskolin, and provides evaluation methods using these genes, and/or proteins encoded by these genes. Furthermore, these proteins were found to enhance cell damage. Compounds that can be screened based on the evaluation methods of this invention are useful as agents for inhibiting the CREB dephosphorylation reaction, agents for suppressing enhancement of cell damage, and preventive and therapeutic agents for memory disorders and/or neurodegenerative disorders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Astellas Pharma Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiko Morita, Hiroyuki Arakawa, Mayako Yamazaki, Susumu Satoh, Shintaro Nishimura, Yasuhiro Kita, Takao Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 7399623
    Abstract: The present invention relates to modified pullulanases useful in the starch industry. The present invention provides methods for producing the modified pullulanase, enzymatic compositions comprising the modified pullulanase, and methods for the saccharification of starch comprising the use of the enzymatic compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Genencor International, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian S. Miller, Jayarama K. Shetty
  • Patent number: 7396666
    Abstract: A tumor marker nucleic acid of the present invention is concerned with a nucleic acid hybridizing under stringent conditions to a nucleotide sequence described in SEQ ID NO: 1 or a complementary nucleotide sequence thereof. A method of testing canceration of the present invention is a method comprising diagnosing a biological sample as being cancerous when the transcription level of the nucleic acid in the biological sample significantly exceeds that in a normal biological sample as a control. The present invention also relates to a ?1,3-N-acetyl-D-glucosaminyltransferase protein having an activity of transferring N-acetyl-D-glucosamine from a donor substrate to an acceptor substrate through ?1,3-linkage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
    Inventors: Hisashi Narimatsu, Takashi Kudo, Akira Togayachi, Toru Hiruma
  • Patent number: 7396670
    Abstract: The formation of acrylamide during heat treatment in the production of a food product is reduced by treating the raw material with an enzyme before the heat treatment. The enzyme is capable of reacting on asparagine or glutamine (optionally substituted) as a substrate or is a laccase or a peroxidase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2008
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Gitte Budolfsen, Morten Tovborg Jensen, Hans Peter Heldt-Hansen, Mary Ann Stringer