Patents by Inventor Laura Ruohonen

Laura Ruohonen 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).

  • Publication number: 20120129230
    Abstract: Cells of the species Issatchenkia orientalis and closely related yeast species are transformed with a vector to introduce an exogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene. The cells produce lactic acid efficiently and are resistant at low pH, high lactate titer conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Publication date: May 24, 2012
    Inventors: Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Penttila, Marja Ilmen, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, Kevin Roberg-Perez
  • Patent number: 8097448
    Abstract: Cells of the species Issatchenkia orientalis and closely related yeast species are transformed with a vector to introduce an exogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene. The cells produce lactic acid efficiently and are resistant at low pH, high lactate titer conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: Cargill Inc.
    Inventors: Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Pentilla, Marja Ilmen, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, Kevin Roberg-Perez
  • Publication number: 20120005788
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing xylonic acid from xylose with a recombinant fungal strain that is genetically modified to express a xylose dehydrogenase gene, which is able to convert xylose to xylonolactone, which is spontaneously or enzymatically hydrolysed to xylonic acid. The xylonic acid is excreted outside the host cell. Xylonate production may be coupled with xylitol production. Alternatively, if xylitol production is not desired, its production is reduced by removing the aldose reductase (or specific xylose reductase) enzyme, which converts xylose to xylitol. Expression of a heterologous lactonase encoding gene may result in higher acid concentrations. The method is suitable for producing xylonic acid from a hemicellulose hydrolysate such as hydrolysed lignocellulosic plant biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTT
    Inventors: Peter Richard, Marilyn Wiebe, Mervi Toivari, Dominik Mojzita, Laura Ruohonen, Merja Penttilä
  • Publication number: 20110287505
    Abstract: Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Kari Koivuranta, Merja Penttilä, Marja Ilmen, Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Christopher Kenneth Miller, Stacey Olson, Laura Ruohonen
  • Publication number: 20110287506
    Abstract: Yeastcells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 14, 2011
    Publication date: November 24, 2011
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Kari Koivuranta, Merja Penttilä, Marja Ilmen, Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Christopher Kenneth Miller, Stacey Olson, Laura Ruohonen
  • Patent number: 7943366
    Abstract: Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications', include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2011
    Assignee: Cargill Inc.
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Kari Koivuranta, Merja Penttilä, Marja Ilmen, Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Christopher Kenneth Miller, Stacey Olson, Laura Ruohonen
  • Publication number: 20090226989
    Abstract: Cells of the species Issatchenkia orientalis and closely related yeast species are transformed with a vector to introduce an exogenous lactate dehydrogenase gene. The cells produce lactic acid efficiently and are resistant at low pH, high lactate titer conditions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2006
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Penttila, Marja Ilmen, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, Kevin Roberg-Perez
  • Publication number: 20080038779
    Abstract: The invention relates to the methods of manufacturing five-carbon sugars and sugar alcohols as well as other compounds derived from pentose-phosphate pathway from readily available substrates such a hexoses using metabolically engineered microbial hosts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Inventors: Andrei Miasnikov, Heikki Ojamo, Mira Povelainen, Hakan Gros, Mervi Toivari, Peter Richard, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, John Londesborough, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Penttila, Claire Plazanet-Menut, Josef Deutscher
  • Patent number: 7226761
    Abstract: The invention relates to the methods of manufacturing five-carbon sugars and sugar alcohols as well as other compounds derived from pentose-phosphate pathway from readily available substrates such a hexoses using metabolically engineered microbial hosts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Danisco Sweeteners Oy
    Inventors: Andrei Miasnikov, Heikki Ojamo, Mira Povelainen, Hakan Gros, Mervi Toivari, Peter Richard, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, John Londesborough, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Penttila, Claire Plazanet-Menut, Josef Deutscher
  • Publication number: 20070092956
    Abstract: The present invention relates to biocatalysts that are cells, optimally of the Crabtree-negative phenotype, comprising expression vectors encoding genes heterologous to the cell that enable increased production of organic products. More specifically, the invention relates to genetically modified Candida cells, methods for making the Candida cells, and their use in production of organic products, particularly lactic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2006
    Publication date: April 26, 2007
    Applicant: Natureworks LLC.
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttila, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmen, Kari Koivuranta, Pirkko Suominen
  • Patent number: 7141410
    Abstract: The present invention relates to biocatalysts that are cells, optimally of the Crabtree-negative phenotype, comprising expression vectors encoding genes heterologous to the cell that enable increased production of organic products. More specifically, the invention relates to genetically modified Candida cells, methods for making the Candida cells, and their use in production of organic products, particularly lactic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2006
    Assignee: Natureworks LLC
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttilä, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmén, Kari Koivuranta, Pirkko Suominen
  • Publication number: 20060234364
    Abstract: Yeast cells are transformed with an exogenous xylose isomerase gene. Additional genetic modifications enhance the ability of the transformed cells to ferment xylose to ethanol or other desired fermentation products. Those modifications', include deletion of non-specific or specific aldose reductase gene(s), deletion of xylitol dehydrogenase gene(s) and/or overexpression of xylulokinase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2004
    Publication date: October 19, 2006
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Kari Koivuranta, Merja Penttilä, Marja Ilmen, Pirkko Suominen, Aristos Aristidou, Christopher Miller, Stacey Olson, Laura Ruohonen
  • Patent number: 7109010
    Abstract: This invention provides biocatalysts that are recombinant yeast cells comprising recombinant expression vectors encoding heterologous lactate dehydrogenase genes for producing lactate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Nature Works LLC
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttilä, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmén, Kari Koivuranta
  • Patent number: 7091014
    Abstract: The present invention relates to genetic engineering of production microorganisms used in biotechnology to improve their properties so that they produce useful products more efficiently. The microorganisms express at least one enzyme that causes the functional coupling of the oxidation and reduction of substrates by two pyridine nucleotide-linked dehydrogenase reactions with different specificities for the NAD/NADH and NADP/NADPH coenzyme couples and so facilitates the transfer of electrons between the two coenzyme couples through the said substrates. In particular the invention relates to increasing the yields of products such as ethanol or amino acids from carbon and nitrogen sources such as biomass comprising hexoes, pentoses or their polymers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen Tutkimuskeskus
    Inventors: Aristos Aristidou, John Londesborough, Merja Penttilä, Peter Richard, Laura Ruohonen, Hans Söderlund, Anita Teleman, Mervi Toivari
  • Publication number: 20060110810
    Abstract: This invention provides biocatalysts that are recombinant yeast cells comprising recombinant expression vectors encoding heterologous lactate dehydrogenase genes for producing lactate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 31, 2005
    Publication date: May 25, 2006
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttila, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmen, Kari Koivuranta
  • Publication number: 20030190630
    Abstract: The present invention relates to biocatalysts that are cells, optimally of the Crabtree-negative phenotype, comprising expression vectors encoding genes heterologous to the cell that enable increased production of organic products. More specifically, the invention relates to genetically modified Candida cells, methods for making the Candida cells, and their use in production of organic products, particularly lactic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2002
    Publication date: October 9, 2003
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttila, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmen, Kari Koivuranta, Pirkko Suominen
  • Publication number: 20030166179
    Abstract: This invention provides biocatalysts that are recombinant yeast cells comprising recombinant expression vectors encoding heterologous lactate dehydrogenase genes for producing lactate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 23, 2001
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventors: Vineet Rajgarhia, Merja Penttila, Laura Ruohonen, Marja Ilmen, Kari Koivuranta
  • Publication number: 20030068791
    Abstract: The invention relates to the methods of manufacturing five-carbon sugars and sugar alcohols as well as other compounds derived from pentose-phosphate pathway from readily available substrates such a hexoses using metabolically engineered microbial hosts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2001
    Publication date: April 10, 2003
    Applicant: Xyrofin Oy
    Inventors: Andrei Miasnikov, Heikki Ojamo, Mira Povelainen, Hakan Gros, Mervi Toivari, Peter Richard, Laura Ruohonen, Kari Koivuranta, John Londesborough, Aristos Aristidou, Merja Penttila, Claire Plazanet-Menut, Josef Deutscher