Patents by Inventor Heather R. Lucas

Heather R. Lucas 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).

  • Preparation of recombinant tetrameric N-acetylated alpha-synuclein
    Patent number: 11673913
    Abstract: Tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein is prepared by transforming an expression system with an expression vector encoding ?-synuclein, wherein the expression system expresses a native NatB acetylase complex or ortholog thereof and/or wherein an exogenous NatB acetylase complex or ortholog thereof is co-expressed in the expression system, inducing protein expression in the transformed expression system, lysing cells in the transformed expression system to produce a cell lysate, performing salt precipitation of the cell lysate, recovering tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein by centrifugation, and purifying the tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein. Compositions comprising the same and methods for identifying compounds that stabilize natively folded tetrameric ?-synuclein are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2023
    Assignee: Virginia Commonwealth University
    Inventors: Heather R. Lucas, Ricardo D. Fernandez
  • PREPARATION OF RECOMBINANT TETRAMERIC N-ACETYLATED ALPHA-SYNUCLEIN
    Publication number: 20190345195
    Abstract: Tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein is prepared by transforming an expression system with an expression vector encoding ?-synuclein, wherein the expression system expresses a native NatB acetylase complex or ortholog thereof and/or wherein an exogenous NatB acetylase complex or ortholog thereof is co-expressed in the expression system, inducing protein expression in the transformed expression system, lysing cells in the transformed expression system to produce a cell lysate, performing salt precipitation of the cell lysate, recovering tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein by centrifugation, and purifying the tetrameric N-terminally acetylated ?-synuclein. Compositions comprising the same and methods for identifying compounds that stabilize natively folded tetrameric ?-synuclein are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2019
    Publication date: November 14, 2019
    Inventors: Heather R. Lucas, Ricardo D. Fernandez