Patents by Inventor Antonio Di Pietro

Antonio Di Pietro 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).

  • Patent number: 6512166
    Abstract: A system for inhibiting the germination or growth of a fungus comprises (a) fungal cell wall degrading chitinolytic or glucanolytic enzyme and (b) antifungal cell membrane affecting: compound. Exemplified antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compounds include flusilazole, miconazole, osmotin, gramicidin, valinomycin, phospholipase B, and trichorzianines. The system components (a) and (b) may be supplemented with polyene macrolide antibiotic, antifungal epithiodiketopiperazine antibiotic (e.g., gliotoxin), fungal cell wall biosynthesis inhibitor (e.g., L-sorbose) and/or detergent. Embodiments include method of contacting a plant which expresses cell wall degrading enzyme with antifungal fungal cell membrane affecting compound.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2003
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Harman, Matteo Lorito, Antonio Di Pietro, Christopher K. Hayes, Felice Scala, Christian P. Kubicek
  • Patent number: 6251390
    Abstract: Two chitinases from Trichoderma harzianum P1 (ATCC 74058) show chitin-containing-fungus-inhibiting activity. One is an endochitinase and the other is a chitobiase. Both have molecular weights of 40 kDa and isoelectric points of 3.9. A &lgr;gtll recombinant encoding for the endochitinase has been prepared (ATCC 55338) and the gene encoding for the endochitinase has been removed from the DNA of the recombinant by the restriction enzyme, Not I. Endochitinases and chitobiases including the two purified from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 demonstrate synergy with each other in anti-fungal effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2001
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Harman, Roxanne M. Broadway, Arne Tronsmo, Matteo Lorito, Christopher K. Hayes, Antonio Di Pietro
  • Patent number: 6200291
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to a device for controlling or adjusting the penetration depth of a needle, specifically designed for application to an injection syringe, comprising an element designed for contacting a person's skin, said contact element including a surface which encompasses, at least partially, the tip of the needle. The contact element is operatively associated with syringe coupling means and comprises a plurality of throughgoing micro-holes passing through the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Inventor: Antonio Di Pietro
  • Patent number: 5474926
    Abstract: N-acetyl-.beta.-glucosaminidase isolated from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 having accession No. ATCC 74058 has molecular mass of 72 kDa and isoelectric point of 4.6. Glucan 1,3-.beta.-glucosidase isolated from Trichoderma harzianum strain P1 has molecular mass of 78 kDa and isoelectric point of 6.2. Combinations of endochitinase, chitin 1,4-.beta.-chitobiosidase, N-acetyl-.beta.-glucosaminidase and glucan 1,3-.beta.-glucosidase have synergistic antifungal effect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 12, 1995
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Harman, Matteo Lorito, Antonio Di Pietro, Christopher K. Hayes
  • Patent number: 5326561
    Abstract: Antifungal composition comprising synergistic combination of fungal cell wall degrading enzyme selected from the group consisting of chitinolytic enzymes, glucanolytic enzymes and cellulases and non-enzymatic fungicides selected from the group consisting of sterol synthesis inhibiting fungicides (e.g., flusilazole and miconazole) and thiol group inactivating fungicides which are not specific to fungal cell membranes (e.g., captan) are applied in an antifungal effective amount to fungus to be inhibited or to a locus to be protected from said fungus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 5, 1994
    Assignee: Cornell Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Gary E. Harman, Matteo Lorito, Antonio Di Pietro, Christopher K. Hayes