Patents by Inventor Aaron Argyros

Aaron Argyros has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20210163967
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns recombinant yeast host cell for saccharification of a biomass. The recombinant yeast host cell has a genetic modification for expressing a heterologous polypeptide having glucoamylase activity (Rasamsonia emersonii glucoamylase). In some embodiments, the heterologous polypeptide comprises the signal sequence associated with the alpha-mating 1 factor. The present disclosure also concerns a process for saccharification of a biomass using the recombinant yeast host cell as well as a process for fermenting the saccharified biomass into a fermentation product.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Aaron Argyros, Alexandra Panaitiu, Charles Rice, Kenneth Barrett
  • Publication number: 20210163995
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns a process for fermenting a biomass with a reduced dose of a purified exogenous enzyme (which can be, for example a purified exogenous glucoamylase). The process comprises contacting a biomass (which may comprise starch) with a recombinant yeast host cell. The recombinant yeast host cell has a genetic modification for expressing a heterologous polypeptide having starch or dextrin hydrolase activity (which may be, for example, from a glucoamylase). The nucleic acid molecule encoding the heterologous polypeptide having starch or dextrin hydrolase activity comprises allowing the secretion of the heterologous polypeptide.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2020
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Aaron Argyros, Alexandra Panaitiu, Charles Rice, Matthew B. Richards, Tera Stoughtenger, Kenneth Barrett
  • Publication number: 20210163999
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to recombinant yeast host cells having (i) a first genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce glycerol or regulating glycerol synthesis and/or allowing the production of an heterologous glucoamylase and (ii) a second genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce trehalose or regulating trehalose synthesis and/or allowing the expression of an heterologous trehalase. The recombinant yeast host cells can be used to limit the production of (yeast-produced) trehalose (particularly extracellular trehalose) during fermentation and, in some embodiments, can increase the production of a fermentation product (such as, for example, ethanol).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 8, 2021
    Publication date: June 3, 2021
    Inventors: Charles F. Rice, Ryan Skinner, Trisha Barrett, Aaron Argyros
  • Publication number: 20210147882
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a mechanism to completely replace the electron accepting function of glycerol formation with an alternative pathway to ethanol formation, thereby reducing glycerol production and increasing ethanol production. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising a down-regulation in one or more native enzymes in the glycerol-production pathway. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising an up-regulation in one or more enzymes in the ethanol-production pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2020
    Publication date: May 20, 2021
    Inventors: Arthur J. Shaw, IV, Aaron Argyros, Trisha Barrett
  • Patent number: 10947568
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to recombinant yeast host cells having (i) a first genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce glycerol or regulating glycerol synthesis and/or allowing the production of an heterologous glucoamylase and (ii) a second genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce trehalose or regulating trehalose synthesis and/or allowing the expression of an heterologous trehalase. The recombinant yeast host cells can be used to limit the production of (yeast-produced) trehalose (particularly extracellular trehalose) during fermentation and, in some embodiments, can increase the production of a fermentation product (such as, for example, ethanol).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 16, 2021
    Assignee: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC
    Inventors: Charles F. Rice, Ryan Skinner, Trisha Barrett, Aaron Argyros
  • Publication number: 20210024909
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to chimeric polypeptides for improving the hydrolysis of starch. The chimeric polypeptides has an alpha-amylase linked to a starch binding domain. The chimeric polypeptides can be provided in a purified form and/or can be expressed from 5 a recombinant host cell. The present disclosure also provides a population of recombinant host cells expressing the chimeric polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 25, 2019
    Publication date: January 28, 2021
    Inventors: Ryan Skinner, Charles F. Rice, Aaron Argyros
  • Publication number: 20200407758
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to alpha-amylases for use in combination with glucoamylases for improving the hydrolysis of a raw starch. The alpha-amylases can be provided in a purified form and/or can be expressed from a recombinant host cell. The present disclosure also provides a population of recombinant host cells expressing the alpha-amylases to be used in combination with recombinant host cells expressing the glucoamylases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2017
    Publication date: December 31, 2020
    Inventors: Ryan Skinner, Charles F. Rice, Aaron Argyros
  • Patent number: 10767196
    Abstract: The present invention provides for the manipulation of cofactor usage in a recombinant host cell to increase the formation of desirable products. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising a mutation in one or more native enzymes such that their cofactor specificity is altered in such a way that overall cofactor usage in the cell is balanced for a specified pathway and there is an increase in a specific product formation within the cell. In some embodiments, endogenous enzymes are replaced by enzymes with an alternate cofactor specificity from a different species.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignees: Enchi Corporation, Dartmouth College, UT-Battelle, LLC
    Inventors: Jonathan Lo, Adam M. Guss, Johannes P. Van Dijken, Arthur J. Shaw, IV, Daniel G. Olson, Christopher D. Herring, D. Aaron Argyros, Nicky Caiazza
  • Publication number: 20200270657
    Abstract: The present invention provides for novel metabolic pathways to convert biomass and other carbohydrate sources to malonyl-CoA derived products, such as hydrocarbons and other bioproducts, under anaerobic conditions and with the net production of ATP. More specifically, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes that function in one or more engineered metabolic pathways to achieve conversion of a carbohydrate source to, e.g., long-chain hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon derivatives, wherein the one or more native and/or heterologous enzymes is activated, upregulated, downregulated, or deleted. The invention also provides for processes to convert biomass to malonyl-CoA derived products which comprise contacting a carbohydrate source with a recombinant microorganism of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2018
    Publication date: August 27, 2020
    Inventors: William Ryan Sillers, Shital A. Tripathi, Arthur J. Shaw, IV, Aaron Argyros, David A. Hogsett
  • Publication number: 20200231991
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to recombinant yeast host cells having (i) a first genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce glycerol or regulating glycerol synthesis and/or allowing the production of an heterologous glucoamylase and (ii) a second genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce trehalose or regulating trehalose synthesis and/or allowing the expression of an heterologous trehalase. The recombinant yeast host cells can be used to limit the production of (yeast-produced) trehalose (particularly extracellular trehalose) during fermentation and, in some embodiments, can increase the production of a fermentation product (such as, for example, ethanol).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 29, 2020
    Publication date: July 23, 2020
    Inventors: Charles F. Rice, Ryan Skinner, Trisha Barrett, Aaron Argyros
  • Publication number: 20200165592
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to proteases for improving alcoholic fermentation. The proteases are expressed from a recombinant host cell. The present disclosure also provides a population of recombinant host cells expressing an heterologous protease that can be used in combination with recombinant host cells expressing an heterologous glucoamylase and/or an heterologous glycerol reduction system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 1, 2018
    Publication date: May 28, 2020
    Inventors: Trisha Barrett, Charles F. Rice, Aaron Argyros
  • Publication number: 20200157579
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a mechanism to completely replace the electron accepting function of glycerol formation with an alternative pathway to ethanol formation, thereby reducing glycerol production and increasing ethanol production. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising a down-regulation in one or more native enzymes in the glycerol-production pathway. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising an up-regulation in one or more enzymes in the ethanol-production pathway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 24, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Arthur J. Shaw, IV, Aaron Argyros, Trisha Barrett
  • Publication number: 20200157578
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a mechanism to reduce glycerol production and increase nitrogen utilization and ethanol production of recombinant microorganisms. One aspect of this invention relates to strains of S. cerevisiae with reduced glycerol productivity that get a kinetic benefit from higher nitrogen concentration without sacrificing ethanol yield. A second aspect of the invention relates to metabolic modifications resulting in altered transport and/or intracellular metabolism of nitrogen sources present in corn mash.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron Argyros, Trisha Barrett
  • Patent number: 10604772
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a mechanism to reduce glycerol production and increase nitrogen utilization and ethanol production of recombinant microorganisms. One aspect of this invention relates to strains of S. cerevisiae with reduced glycerol productivity that get a kinetic benefit from higher nitrogen concentration without sacrificing ethanol yield. A second aspect of the invention relates to metabolic modifications resulting in altered transport and/or intracellular metabolism of nitrogen sources present in com mash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2020
    Assignee: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC
    Inventors: Aaron Argyros, Trisha Barrett
  • Publication number: 20200095592
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a yeast strain, or strains, secreting a full suite, or any subset of that full suite, of enzymes to hydrolyze corn starch, corn fiber, lignocellulose, (including enzymes that hydrolyze linkages in cellulose, hemicellulose, and between lignin and carbohydrates) and to utilize pentose sugars (xylose and arabinose). The invention is also directed to the set of proteins that are well expressed in yeast for each category of enzymatic activity. The resulting strain, or strains can be used to hydrolyze starch and cellulose simultaneously. The resulting strain, or strains can be also metabolically engineered to produce less glycerol and uptake acetate. The resulting strain, or strains can also be used to produce ethanol from granular starch without liquefaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2019
    Publication date: March 26, 2020
    Inventors: Elena Brevnova, John E. McBride, Erin Wiswall, Kevin S. Wenger, Nicky Caiazza, Heidi Hau, Aaron Argyros, Frank Agbogbo, Charles F. Rice, Trisha Barrett, John S. Bardsley, Abigail Foster, Anne K. Warner, Mark Mellon, Ryan Skinner, Indraneel Shikhare, Riaan Den Haan, Chhayal V. Gandhi, Alan Belcher, Vineet B. Rajgarhia, Allan C. Froehlich, Kristen M. Deleault, Emily Stonehouse, Shital A. Tripathi, Jennifer Gosselin, Yin-Ying Chiu, Haowen Xu
  • Publication number: 20200087672
    Abstract: The present disclosure concerns recombinant yeast host cells expressing cell-associated heterologous food and/or feed enzymes which are expressed during the propagation phase of the recombinant yeast hosts cells. The recombinant yeast host cells can be used in a subsequent production process to make food and/or feed products, for example, baked products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2018
    Publication date: March 19, 2020
    Inventors: Aaron Argyros, Michelle Oeser, Erin Wiswall, Janet Fisher, Johannes Van Eijk, J. Kevin Kraus, Kevin Wenger, Brooks Henningsen, Ryan Skinner
  • Patent number: 10570421
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to recombinant yeast host cells having (i) a first genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce glycerol or regulating glycerol synthesis and/or allowing the production of an heterologous glucoamylase and (ii) a second genetic modification for reducing the production of one or more native enzymes that function to produce trehalose or regulating trehalose synthesis and/or allowing the expression of an heterologous trehalase. The recombinant yeast host cells can be used to limit the production of (yeast-produced) trehalose (particularly extracellular trehalose) during fermentation and, in some embodiments, can increase the production of a fermentation product (such as, for example, ethanol).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 25, 2020
    Assignee: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC
    Inventors: Charles F. Rice, Ryan Skinner, Trisha Barrett, Aaron Argyros
  • Patent number: 10465208
    Abstract: The present invention provides for a mechanism to completely replace the electron accepting function of glycerol formation with an alternative pathway to ethanol formation, thereby reducing glycerol production and increasing ethanol production. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising a down-regulation in one or more native enzymes in the glycerol-production pathway. In some embodiments, the invention provides for a recombinant microorganism comprising an up-regulation in one or more enzymes in the ethanol-production pathway.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2019
    Assignee: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC
    Inventors: Arthur J. Shaw, IV, Aaron Argyros, Trisha Barrett
  • Patent number: 10385345
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a yeast strain, or strains, secreting a full suite, or any subset of that full suite, of enzymes to hydrolyze corn starch, corn fiber, lignocellulose, (including enzymes that hydrolyze linkages in cellulose, hemicellulose, and between lignin and carbohydrates) and to utilize pentose sugars (xylose and arabinose). The invention is also directed to the set of proteins that are well expressed in yeast for each category of enzymatic activity. The resulting strain, or strains can be used to hydrolyze starch and cellulose simultaneously. The resulting strain, or strains can be also metabolically engineered to produce less glycerol and uptake acetate. The resulting strain, or strains can also be used to produce ethanol from granular starch without liquefaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignees: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC, Universiteit Stellenbosch
    Inventors: Elena Brevnova, John E. McBride, Erin Wiswall, Kevin S. Wenger, Nicky Caiazza, Heidi Hau, Aaron Argyros, Frank Agbogbo, Charles F. Rice, Trisha Barrett, John S. Bardsley, Abigail Foster, Anne K. Warner, Mark Mellon, Ryan Skinner, Indraneel Shikhare, Riaan Den Haan, Chhayal V. Gandhi, Alan Belcher, Vineet B. Rajgarhia, Allan C. Froehlich, Kristen M. Deleault, Emily Stonehouse, Shital A. Tripathi, Jennifer Gosselin, Yin-Ying Chiu, Haowen Xu
  • Patent number: 10294484
    Abstract: The present invention is directed to a yeast strain, or strains, secreting a full suite, or any subset of that full suite, of enzymes to hydrolyze corn starch, corn fiber, lignocellulose, (including enzymes that hydrolyze linkages in cellulose, hemicellulose, and between lignin and carbohydrates) and to utilize pentose sugars (xylose and arabinose). The invention is also directed to the set of proteins that are well expressed in yeast for each category of enzymatic activity. The resulting strain, or strains can be used to hydrolyze starch and cellulose simultaneously. The resulting strain, or strains can be also metabolically engineered to produce less glycerol and uptake acetate. The resulting strain, or strains can also be used to produce ethanol from granular starch without liquefaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2019
    Assignees: Lallemand Hungary Liquidity Management LLC, Stellenbosch University
    Inventors: Elena Brevnova, John E. McBride, Erin Wiswall, Kevin S. Wenger, Nicky Caiazza, Heidi Lau, Aaron Argyros, Frank Agbogbo, Charles F. Rice, Trisha Barrett, John S. Bardsley, Abigail Foster, Anne K. Warner, Mark Mellon, Ryan Skinner, Indraneel Shikhare, Riaan Den Haan, Chhayal V. Gandhi, Alan Belcher, Vineet B. Rajgarhia, Allan C. Froehlich, Kristen M. Deleault, Emily Stonehouse, Shital A. Tripathi, Jennifer Gosselin, Yin-Ying Chiu, Haowen Xu