Patents by Inventor Geneva R. Davis

Geneva R. Davis 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: 5827684
    Abstract: A method for producing one or more Bacillus toxin polypeptides by culturing methylotrophic yeast cells which have a gene(s) capable of expressing the Bacillus toxin polypeptide(s) in such cells under conditions that the gene(s) is/are transcribed is provided. The toxin polypeptide encoding segment of the gene(s) has a G+C content of about 40%-55%, and preferably comprises methylotrophic yeast codons. The preferred species of yeast for expressing such synthetic Bacillus toxin gene(s) is Pichia pastoris. Bacillus toxin polypeptides encoded by synthetic genes are expressed at high levels in transformed methylotrophic yeast cells. The toxin expressing cells may be administered as live cells or heat-killed whole cells to provide an insecticidal composition for killing susceptible insect larvae.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 27, 1998
    Assignee: Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kotikanyadanam Sreekrishna, William D. Prevatt, Gregory P. Thill, Geneva R. Davis, Patricia Koutz, Kathryn A. Barr, Sharon A. Hopkins
  • Patent number: 5612198
    Abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a naturally occurring, relatively short, single chain polypeptide, is prepared by growing methylotrophic yeast transformants containing in their genome at least one copy of DNA encoding IGF-1, in operational linkage with DNA encoding a signal sequence, which is effective for directing secretion of proteins from the host cells and which also includes the proteolytic processing site lys-arg and may include one or more glu-ala sequences. In preferred embodiments the signal sequence is the S. cerevisiae alpha mating factor pre-pro sequence. Expression of both the DNA encoding IGF-1 and the pre-pro signal sequence is regulated by a promoter region derived from a methanol responsive gene of a methylotrophic yeast. DNA constructs and recombinant methylotrophic yeast strains used for the expression and secretion of IGF-1 are also provided. For preferred embodiments, protease deficient Pichia pastoris strains are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 18, 1997
    Assignee: The Salk Institute
    Inventors: Russell A. Brierley, Geneva R. Davis, Gregory C. Holtz, Martin A. Gleeson, Bradley D. Howard
  • Patent number: 5324639
    Abstract: Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a naturally occurring, relatively short, single chain polypeptide, is prepared by growing methylotrophic yeast transformants containing in their genome at least one copy of a DNA sequence operably encoding IGF-1, in operational association with a DNA sequence encoding the S. cerevisiae alpha mating factor pre-pro sequence (including the proteolytic processing site: lys-arg), both under the regulation of a promoter region of a gene of a methylotrophic yeast, under conditions allowing expression of said DNA sequences, and secretion of IGF-1 into the culture medium.Also disclosed are novel DNA fragments and novel recombinant yeast strains which are useful in the practice of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 25, 1993
    Date of Patent: June 28, 1994
    Assignee: The Salk Institute Biotechnology/Industrial Assoc, Inc.
    Inventors: Russell A. Brierley, Geneva R. Davis, Gregory C. Holtz