Patents Examined by Richard C. Ekstrom
  • Xylosidase having improved enzymatic activity
    Patent number: 10385346
    Abstract: A xylosidase having improved enzymatic activity is disclosed. The amino acid sequence of the xylosidase is a modified amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, wherein the modification is a substitution of phenylalanine at position 35 with glutamate, and/or a substitution of glutamine at position 41 with histidine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: DONGGUAN APAC BIOTECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Ya-Shan Cheng, Tzu-Hui Wu, Cheng-Yen Lin, Hui-Lin Lai, Cheng-Bin Zheng, Ting-Yung Huang, I-Hsuan Lin, Jian-Wen Huang, Chun-Chi Chen, Rey-Ting Guo
  • Carbon dioxide fixation via bypassing feedback regulation
    Patent number: 10385328
    Abstract: Genetically engineered cells and methods are presented that allow for the production of various value products from CO2. Contemplated cells have a CBB cycle that is genetically modified such that two molecules of CO2 fixed in the CBB cycle can be withdrawn from the modified CBB cycle as a single C2 compound. In contemplated aspects a CBB cycle includes an enzymatic activity that generates the single C2 compound from a compound of the CBB cycle, while further modifications to the CBB cycle will not introduce additional recombinant enzymatic activity/activities outside the already existing catalytic activities in the CBB cycle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Easel Biotechnologies, LLC
    Inventors: Yi-Xin Huo, Benjamin Schilling, Shahrooz Rabizadeh
  • Mutant glutamate dehydrogenase for the conversion of homoserine into 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate
    Patent number: 10385322
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for the production of derivatives of 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate chosen among 1,3-propanediol or 2,4-dihydroxybutyrate by culturing a genetically modified microorganism for the production of the desired derivative of 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate, the microorganism further comprising a gene coding for a mutant glutamate dehydrogenase converting by deamination L-homoserine into 4-hydroxy-2-ketobutyrate. The invention also concerns said genetically modified microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: METABOLIC EXPLORER
    Inventors: Zhen Chen, Feng Geng, An-Ping Zeng, Wanda Dischert, Philippe Soucaille
  • Microorganisms for producing glycogen and methods of using same
    Patent number: 10370690
    Abstract: Recombinant microorganisms configured for increased glycogen production. The recombinant microorganisms comprise a recombinant nucleic acid configured to express or overexpress a glucose-1-phosphate adenylyltransferase. The recombinant microorganisms produce an increased amount of glycogen compared to a corresponding microorganism not comprising the recombinant nucleic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2018
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Brian F. Pfleger, Andrew L. Markley
  • Engineered microorganisms having resistance to ionic liquids
    Patent number: 10370418
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a method of genetically modifying microorganisms to enhance resistance to ionic liquids using a yeast Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS), or a Salmonella MFS SmvA Pump or SmvR Regulator, a Small Multidrug Resistance Family (SMR), or Saccharomyces cerevisiae YDR090C, polypeptide, host cells genetically modified in accordance with the methods, and methods of using the host cells in a reaction comprising biomass that has been pretreated with ionic liquids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC
    Inventors: Michael P. Thelen, Douglas A. Higgins, Thomas L. Ruegg
  • Production of lysergic acid by genetic modification of a fungus
    Patent number: 10370689
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing lysergic acid and other ergot alkaloids by genetic modification of a fungus. A strain of fungus comprising Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) or any fungus having a pathway similar to Aspergillus fumigatus and expressing one or more genes of the ergot alkaloid biosynthesis pathway from one or more fungus selected from the group consisting of Epichloë festucae var. lolii×Epichloë typhina isolate Lp1 (E. sp. Lp1); Claviceps species; Claviceps africana (C. africana); Claviceps gigantea (C. gigantea); Epichloë coenophiala and Periglandula species, wherein gene easA or gene easM is inactivated in said A. fumigatus or said fungus having a pathway similar to Aspergillus fumigatus, is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2019
    Assignee: West Virginia University
    Inventors: Daniel G. Panaccione, Sarah L. Robinson
  • Mutant OPAA enzyme with increased catalytic efficiency on GP
    Patent number: 10363289
    Abstract: The invention is directed toward mutant, non-wild-type organophosphorus acid anhydrolase enzymes having three site mutations, methods of production, and methods of use to effectively degrade toxic organophosphorus compounds, most preferably GP (2, 2?-dimethylcyclopentyl methylphosphonofluoridate).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2019
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Steven P. Harvey, Mark A Guelta, Leslie R McMahon
  • Helicobacter pylori ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase gene and protein with improved soluble protein expression and activity, and thereof application for synthesis of ?-1,3 fucosyloligosaccharide
    Patent number: 10336990
    Abstract: The present invention provides an ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant having an increased expression level of soluble protein and increased activity, a DNA encoding the ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant, a recombinant vector comprising the DNA encoding the ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant, a host cell transformed with the recombinant DNA vector, an extract of the host cell, a method for producing 3-fucosyloligosaccharide, a method for preparing an ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant, and a method for screening an ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant. The ?-1,3 fucosyltransferase mutant of the present invention has a significantly increased soluble protein expression level and activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Seoul National University R&DB Foundation
    Inventors: Byung Gee Kim, Yun Hee Choi
  • Asparaginase mutant with efficient expression, activity and stability
    Patent number: 10337018
    Abstract: The present disclosure discloses an asparaginase mutant with efficient expression, activity and stability, belonging to the technical fields of gene engineering and enzyme engineering. The amino acid sequence of the asparaginase mutant is set forth in SEQ ID NO: 99, SEQ ID NO: 100 or SEQ ID NO: 101; meanwhile, compared with the wild type asparaginase mutant, the extracellular enzyme activity of the asparaginase fusion enzyme mutant is increased by up to 2.25 times, the stability is increased by up to 3.56 times, and the specific enzyme activity is increased by up to 1.34 times.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2018
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Song Liu, Jian Chen, Guocheng Du, Weixin Zhao
  • Compositions with modified nucleases targeted to viral nucleic acids and methods of use for prevention and treatment of viral diseases
    Patent number: 10335372
    Abstract: Antiviral compositions comprising a modified nuclease, or a plurality of such modified nucleases having at least one non-natural amino acid residue substituted for a naturally occurring amino acid in a parent nuclease are provided, as are methods of use and kits providing unit dosages of such compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Inventor: Jacob G. Applebaum
  • Microorganism producing O-phosphoserine and a method for producing O-phosphoserine or L-cysteine using the same
    Patent number: 10323262
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a microorganism, wherein the activity of a polypeptide capable of exporting O-phosphoserine (OPS) is enhanced, and a method of producing O-phosphoserine, cysteine, or a cysteine derivative using the microorganism.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2019
    Assignee: CJ CHEILJEDANG CORPORATION
    Inventors: Sol Kim, In Hwa Yoo, Jin Sook Chang, Hye Won Kim
  • Method for preparing ascorbic acid-2-phosphate using a recombinant strain
    Patent number: 10308919
    Abstract: The present invention provides a recombinant strain, construction method thereof and a method for producing acid phosphatase using the recombinant strain. In the invention, the phosphatase gene is obtained from Pseudomonas aeruginosa by a molecular biology method, the constructed expression plasmid is transformed into E. coli BL21 (DE3). The purified enzyme and whole cells were used for the conversion of ascorbic acid to ascorbic acid-2-phosphate. Ascorbic acid-2-phosphate can be efficiently produced by controlling the ratio of substrates. When the conversion reaction is performed at pH 4.5 under 40° C. for 8 h, the output of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate reaches 54.8 g/L, the conversion is 42.9% and the space time yield is 6.9 g/L/h.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: JIANGNAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Liming Liu, Wei Song, Jing Wu, Kai Zheng, Xiulai Chen
  • Milling process
    Patent number: 10308967
    Abstract: Provided are processes for treating crop kernels which comprising the steps of a) soaking kernels in water to produce soaked kernels; b) grinding the soaked kernels; c) treating the soaked kernels in the presence of a polypeptide having protease activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Zhen Long, Wanghui Xu, Wang Han, Scott R. McLaughlin, Randall Deinhammer, Paria Saunders, Bernardo Vidal, Jr., Xinyu Shen, Michael John Akerman, Tom Gibbons
  • Microorganisms that co-consume glucose with non-glucose carbohydrates and methods of use
    Patent number: 10301653
    Abstract: Microorganisms that co-consume glucose with non-glucose carbohydrates, such as xylose, and methods of using same. The microorganisms comprise modifications that reduce or ablate the activity of a phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP):carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) protein or modifications that reduce or ablate the activity of a phosphoglucose isomerase and a GntR. The PTS protein may be selected from an enzyme I (EI), an HPr, an FPr, and an enzyme IIGlc (EIIGlc). Additional modifications include reduction or ablation of the activity of a pyruvate formate lyase, a lactate dehydrogenase, and a fumarate reductase and inclusion of recombinant pyruvate decarboxylase and alcohol dehydrogenase genes. The microorganisms are particularly suited to co-consuming glucose and xylose in media containing these substrates and producing ethanol therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2019
    Assignee: WISCONSIN ALUMNI RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    Inventors: Jennifer L. Reed, Joonhoon Kim
  • Alpha-glucosidase, compositions and methods
    Patent number: 10294466
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to polypeptides having alpha-glucosidase activity isolated, derived or derivable from Rasamsonia or engineered polypeptides having alpha-glucosidase activity isolated, derived or derivable from Rasamsonia homologs. The present disclosure also pertains to polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, nucleic acid constructs, vectors, host cells and mutant cells comprising the polynucleotides. The disclosure further pertains to compositions comprising such polypeptides, methods of producing the polypeptides and compositions, as well as methods for using such polypeptides and compositions for industrial applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: DANISCO US INC.
    Inventors: Zheyong Yu, Zhenghong Zhang, Jing Ge, Zhen Qian, Guoqing Liu, Zhiyong Xie, Zhongmei Tang
  • Microorganism with modified aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase activity and related methods
    Patent number: 10294498
    Abstract: The invention provides a non-naturally occurring bacterium having decreased or eliminated activity of an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction defined by EC 1.2.7.5, such as aldehyde:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (AOR). Optionally, the bacterium also has decreased or eliminated activity of an enzyme that catalyzes the reaction defined by EC 1.2.1.10 and/or EC 1.1.1.1, such as aldehyde dehydrogenase, alcohol dehydrogenase, or bifunctional aldehyde/alcohol dehydrogenase. The invention further provides methods of producing products by culturing the bacterium in the presence of a gaseous substrate containing one or more of CO, CO2, and H2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignee: LanzaTech, Inc.
    Inventors: Fungmin Liew, Michael Koepke
  • Process for degrading mannan-containing cellulosic materials
    Patent number: 10287563
    Abstract: The present invention relates to processes comprising enzymatic degradation of mannan-containing cellulosic materials for producing a hydrolyzate. The invention also relates to processes of producing a fermentation product from mannan-containing cellulosic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Harry Showmaker, Laerke Tvedebrink Haahr, Kristian Bertel Romer M. Krogh, Johan Belfrage, Lone Baekgaard, Armindo Ribiero Gaspar, Claudia Geddes
  • Polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and nucleic acids encoding same
    Patent number: 10280201
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing 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 for producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Kimberly Brown, Paul Harris, Elizabeth Zaretsky, Edward Re, Elena Vlasenko, Keith McFarland, Alfredo Lopez de Leon
  • Cells with improved pentose conversion
    Patent number: 10273507
    Abstract: The invention relates to a cell capable of converting one or more pentose sugar and one or more hexose sugar into fermentation product constitutively expressing one or more heterologous or homologous polypeptide having the amino acid sequence set out in SEQ ID NO: 20, or a variant polypeptide thereof having at least 45% identity to SEQ ID NO 20. In an embodiment the heterologous polypeptide has glyoxalase activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Maria Bernedina Elizabeth Jonkers, Paul Klaassen, Aloysius Wilhelmus Rudolphus Hubertus Teunissen, Rene Marcel De Jong
  • Enzymes having pullulanase activity
    Patent number: 10266864
    Abstract: The present invention relates to thermostable pullulanases useful for industrial and scientific purposes. The present invention provides methods for producing the modified pullulanase, enzymatic compositions comprising the modified pullulanase, and methods for use of the enzymatic compositions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: BASF Enzymes LLC
    Inventors: Adrienne Huston Davenport, Hugo D. Urbina, Kenneth E. Barrett, Danielle Cusumano