Patents by Inventor Cynthia A. Henson

Cynthia A. Henson 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: 6849439
    Abstract: Barley ?-glucosidase is an important enzyme in the conversion of barley starch to fermentable sugars during the industrial production of ethanol, as in brewing and fuel ethanol production. The enzyme is, however, relatively thermolabile, a disadvantage for an enzyme useful in industrial processes which are preferably conducted at elevated temperatures. Site directed mutagenesis has been conducted to make mutant forms of barley ?-glucosidase which have improved thermostability. The sites for this site-directed mutagenesis were selected by sequence comparisons with the sequences of other ?-glucosidase proteins which are more thermostable. The recombinant mutant enzymes thus produced have been demonstrated to improve the thermostability of the enzyme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignees: Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
    Inventors: Cynthia A. Henson, Elizabeth H. Muslin, Suzanne E. Clark
  • Publication number: 20020184662
    Abstract: Barley &agr;-glucosidase is an important enzyme in the conversion of barley starch to fermentable sugars during the industrial production of ethanol, as in brewing and fuel ethanol production. The enzyme is, however, relatively thermolabile, a disadvantage for an enzyme useful in industrial processes which are preferably conducted at elevated temperatures. Site directed mutagenesis has been conducted to make mutant forms of barley &agr;-glucosidase which have improved thermostability. The sites for this site-directed mutagenesis were selected by sequence comparisons with the sequences of other &agr;-glucosidase proteins which are more thermostable. The recombinant mutant enzymes thus produced have been demonstrated to improve the thermostability of the enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2002
    Publication date: December 5, 2002
    Inventors: Cynthia A. Henson, Elizabeth H. Muslin, Suzanne E. Clark