Patents by Inventor John O. Baker

John O. Baker 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: 10036051
    Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides that exhibit enhanced cellulase activities are disclosed herein. These nucleic acids may be expressed in hosts such as fungi, which in turn may be cultured to produce chimeric polypeptides. Also disclosed are chimeric polypeptides and their use in the degradation of cellulosic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2018
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Gregg T. Beckham, Eric Jarvis, Michael E. Himmel, Stephen R. Decker, Jeffrey G. Linger, Kara Podkaminer, John O. Baker, Larry Taylor, II, Qi Xu, Arjun Singh
  • Publication number: 20170247731
    Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides that exhibit enhanced cellulase activities are disclosed herein. These nucleic acids may be expressed in hosts such as fungi, which in turn may be cultured to produce chimeric polypeptides. Also disclosed are chimeric polypeptides and their use in the degradation of cellulosic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2017
    Publication date: August 31, 2017
    Inventors: William S. ADNEY, Gregg T. BECKHAM, Eric JARVIS, Michael E. HIMMEL, Stephen R. DECKER, Jeffrey G. LINGER, Kara PODKAMINER, John O. BAKER, Larry TAYLOR, II, Qi XU, Arjun SINGH
  • Patent number: 9683248
    Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides that exhibit enhanced cellulase activities are disclosed herein. These nucleic acids may be expressed in hosts such as fungi, which in turn may be cultured to produce chimeric polypeptides. Also disclosed are chimeric polypeptides and their use in the degradation of cellulosic materials.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2017
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Gregg T. Beckham, Eric Jarvis, Michael E. Himmel, Stephen R. Decker, Jeffrey G. Linger, Kara Podkaminer, John O. Baker, Larry Taylor, II, Qi Xu, Arjun Singh
  • Patent number: 8993276
    Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules encoding chimeric cellulase polypeptides that exhibit improved cellulase activities are disclosed herein. The chimeric cellulase polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acids and methods to produce the cellulases are also described, along with methods of using chimeric cellulases for the conversion of cellulose to sugars such as glucose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Qi Xu, John O. Baker, Michael E. Himmel
  • Publication number: 20140322765
    Abstract: Nucleic acid sequences encoding chimeric polypeptides that exhibit enhanced cellulase activities are disclosed herein. These nucleic acids may be expressed in hosts such as fungi, which in turn may be cultured to produce chimeric polypeptides. Also disclosed are chimeric polypeptides and their use in the degradation of cellulosic materials.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Gregg T. Beckham, Eric Jarvis, Michael E. Himmel, Stephen R. Decker, Jeffrey G. Linger, Kara Podkaminer, John O. Baker, Larry Taylor, II, Qi Xu, Arjun Singh
  • Publication number: 20140030769
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are combinations of free fungal enzymes and cellulosomes useful for the hydrolysis of cellulose and the conversion of biomass. Methods of degrading cellulose and biomass using the combinations are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2013
    Publication date: January 30, 2014
    Applicant: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: Michael RESCH, John O. BAKER, Xu QI, William S. ADNEY, Steven R. DECKER, Michael E. HIMMEL, Bryon DONOHOE
  • Publication number: 20140017734
    Abstract: Nucleic acid molecules encoding chimeric cellulase polypeptides that exhibit improved cellulase activities are disclosed herein. The chimeric cellulase polypeptides encoded by these nucleic acids and methods to produce the cellulases are also described, along with methods of using chimeric cellulases for the conversion of cellulose to sugars such as glucose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 12, 2013
    Publication date: January 16, 2014
    Inventors: Qi XU, John O. BAKER, Michael E. HIMMEL
  • Patent number: 8283150
    Abstract: Purified cellobiohydrolase I (glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (Cel7A)) enzymes from Penicillium funiculosum demonstrate a high level of specific performance in comparison to other Cel7 family member enzymes when formulated with purified EIcd endoglucanase from A. cellulolyticus and tested on pretreated corn stover. This result is true of the purified native enzyme, as well as recombinantly expressed enzyme, for example, that enzyme expressed in a non-native Aspergillus host. In a specific example, the specific performance of the formulation using purified recombinant Cel7A from Penicillium funiculosum expressed in A. awamori is increased by more than 200% when compared to a formulation using purified Cel7A from Trichoderma reesei.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2012
    Assignee: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William S. Adney, John O. Baker, Stephen R. Decker, Yat-Chen Chou, Michael E. Himmel, Shi-You Ding
  • Publication number: 20090081762
    Abstract: Purified cellobiohydrolase I (glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (Cel7A)) enzymes from Penicillium funiculosum demonstrate a high level of specific performance in comparison to other Cel7 family member enzymes when formulated with purified EIcd endoglucanase from A. cellulolyticus and tested on pretreated corn stover. This result is true of the purified native enzyme, as well as recombinantly expressed enzyme, for example, that enzyme expressed in a non-native Aspergillus host. In a specific example, the specific performance of the formulation using purified recombinant Cel7A from Penicillium funiculosum expressed in A. awamori is increased by more than 200% when compared to a formulation using purified Cel7A from Trichoderma reesei.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2008
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Applicant: ALLIANCE FOR SUSTAINABLE ENERGY, LLC
    Inventors: William S. Adney, John O. Baker, Stephen R. Decker, Yat-Chen Chou, Michael E. Himmel, Shi-You Ding
  • Patent number: 7449550
    Abstract: Purified cellobiohydrolase I (glycosyl hydrolase family 7 (Cel7A) enzymes from Penicillium funiculosum demonstrate a high level of specific performance in comparison to other Cel7 family member enzymes when formulated with purified EIcd endoglucanase from A. cellulolyticus and tested on pretreated corn stover. This result is true of the purified native enzyme, as well as recombinantly expressed enzyme, for example, that enzyme expressed in a non-native Aspergillus host. In a specific example, the specific performance of the formulation using purified recombinant Cel7A from Penicillium funiculosum expressed in A. awamori is increased by more than 200% when compared to a formulation using purified Cel7A from Trichoderma reesei.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Alliance For Sustainable Energy, LLC
    Inventors: William S. Adney, John O. Baker, Stephen R. Decker, Yat-Chen Chou, Michael E. Himmel, Shi-You Ding
  • Patent number: 7375197
    Abstract: The disclosure provides a method for preparing an active exoglucanase in a heterologous host of eukaryotic origin. The method includes mutagenesis to reduce glycosylation of the exoglucanase when expressed in a heterologous host. It is further disclosed a method to produce variant cellobiohydrolase that is stable at high temperature through mutagenesis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: MidWest Research Institute
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Stephen R. Decker, Suzanne Mc Carter, John O. Baker, Raphael Nieves, Michael E. Himmel, Todd B. Vinzant
  • Publication number: 20030170861
    Abstract: A nucleic acid molecule having a nucleic acid sequence that encodes a linker region of exoglucanase, said nucleic acid sequence comprising the nucleic sequence 5′-GGCGGAAACCCGCCTGGCACCACC-3′.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Stephen R. Decker, Suzanne McCarter, John O. Baker, Rafael Nieves, Michael E. Himmel, Todd B. Vinzant
  • Publication number: 20030054535
    Abstract: The invention provides a method for increasing the specific activity of a glycosyl hydrolase on a substrate, comprising replacing a hydrophobic surface binding amino acid of the hydrolase with a positively charged amino acid; and a method for increasing the specific activity of a glycosyl hydrolase on a substrate, comprising replacing an active site associated glycosyl-stabilizing amino acid of the hydrolase with an amino acid, the replacing amino acid not strongly retarding cellobiose from leaving the active site. The invention further provides mutant glycosyl hydrolases, which include Y245G, Y42R, and W82R.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2001
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Inventors: Michael E. Himmel, William S. Adney, John O. Baker, Todd B. Vinzant, Steven R. Thomas, Joshua Sakon, Stephen R. Decker
  • Patent number: 5712142
    Abstract: The gene encoding Acidothermus cellulolyticus E1 endoglucanase is cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris. A new modified E1 endoglucanase enzyme comprising the catalytic domain of the full size E1 enzyme demonstrates enhanced thermostability and is produced by two methods. The first method of producing the new modified E1 is proteolytic cleavage to remove the cellulose binding domain and linker peptide of the full size E1. The second method of producing the new modified E1 is genetic truncation of the gene encoding the full size E1 so that the catalytic domain is expressed in the expression product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: January 27, 1998
    Assignee: Midwest Research Institute
    Inventors: William S. Adney, Steven R. Thomas, John O. Baker, Michael E. Himmel, Yat-Chen Chou