Patents by Inventor Maciej Maselko

Maciej Maselko 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: 20240099281
    Abstract: There is provided a transgenic insect comprising a heterologous nucleic acid encoding a fungal laccase wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is integrated in the insect genome, wherein the heterologous nucleic acid is operably linked to a promoter, and expression of the laccase allows for production of an active fungal laccase in the insect. The insect or laccase preparations comprising meal or powder made from the insect are used to reduce or remove phenolic contaminants (such as BPA) or aromatic components (such as indigo dyes) from waste.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2021
    Publication date: March 28, 2024
    Inventors: Maciej MASELKO, Kaitlyn TEPPER, Michael CLARK
  • Publication number: 20240093215
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one aspect, a cell that includes a biocontainment system. Generally, the biocontainment system includes a coding region whose overexpression decreases growth of the cell, a transcription regulatory region that includes a silent mutation and is operably linked upstream of the coding region, and a polynucleotide that encodes a programmable transcription activator engineered to bind to the transcription regulatory region in the absence of the silent mutation. Thus, in the absence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator induces overexpression of the coding region; in the presence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator does not initiate overexpression of the coding region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 7, 2023
    Publication date: March 21, 2024
    Inventors: Maciej Maselko, Mike Smanski
  • Patent number: 11834665
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a programmable transcription factor system. Generally, the system includes a programmable transcription factor, a polynucleotide that includes a coding region whose expression is either required or toxic for cell viability, and a promoter operably linked to the polynucleotide and having a binding site for the programmable transcription factor. The programmable transcription factor generally includes a domain that specifically binds to a promoter and a domain that either activates transcription (if the polynucleotide encodes an essential product) or represses transcription (if the polynucleotide encodes a toxic product).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Michael J. Smanski, Maciej Maselko
  • Patent number: 11718858
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one aspect, a cell that includes a biocontainment system. Generally, the biocontainment system includes a coding region whose overexpression decreases growth of the cell, a transcription regulatory region that includes a silent mutation and is operably linked upstream of the coding region, and a polynucleotide that encodes a programmable transcription activator engineered to bind to the transcription regulatory region in the absence of the silent mutation. Thus, in the absence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator induces overexpression of the coding region; in the presence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator does not initiate overexpression of the coding region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2023
    Assignee: REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
    Inventors: Maciej Maselko, Mike Smanski
  • Publication number: 20220338454
    Abstract: An engineered genetic incompatibility (EGI) strain of a wild-type organism is designed to include a haplosufficient lethal allele and a haploinsufficient resistance allele. In another aspect, a biocontainment system generally includes a polynucleotide that encodes a coding region whose expression causes infertility or death, a transcription regulatory region operably linked upstream of the coding region and containing a silent mutation, and a polynucleotide that encodes a programmable transcription activator. The programmable transcription activator is engineered to bind to the transcription regulatory region in the absence of the silent mutation, thereby expressing the coding region in the absence of the silent mutation, but does not initiate expression of the coding region when the transcription regulatory region comprises the silent mutation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2020
    Publication date: October 27, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Joseph SMANSKI, Siba DAS, Maciej MASELKO, Nathan Robert FELTMAN, Ambuj UPADHYAY
  • Publication number: 20220330533
    Abstract: A system for batch production of the heterogametic sex of a biological species generally includes a first strain of a biological species genetically engineered to include a conditional Y-linked (or Z-linked) genetic lethal circuit and a second strain of the biological species genetically engineered to include a conditional X-linked (or W-linked) genetic lethal circuit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 1, 2020
    Publication date: October 20, 2022
    Inventors: Michael Joseph SMANSKI, Siba DAS, Maciej MASELKO
  • Publication number: 20200157552
    Abstract: This disclosure describes a programmable transcription factor system. Generally, the system includes a programmable transcription factor, a polynucleotide that includes a coding region whose expression is either required or toxic for cell viability, and a promoter operably linked to the polynucleotide and having a binding site for the programmable transcription factor. The programmable transcription factor generally includes a domain that specifically binds to a promoter and a domain that either activates transcription (if the polynucleotide encodes an essential product) or represses transcription (if the polynucleotide encodes a toxic product).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 10, 2018
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Inventors: Michael J. Smanski, Maciej Maselko
  • Publication number: 20180327762
    Abstract: This disclosure describes, in one aspect, a cell that includes a biocontainment system. Generally, the biocontainment system includes a coding region whose overexpression decreases growth of the cell, a transcription regulatory region that includes a silent mutation and is operably linked upstream of the coding region, and a polynucleotide that encodes a programmable transcription activator engineered to bind to the transcription regulatory region in the absence of the silent mutation. Thus, in the absence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator induces overexpression of the coding region; in the presence of the silent mutation, the programmable transcription activator does not initiate overexpression of the coding region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2016
    Publication date: November 15, 2018
    Inventors: Maciej Maselko, Mike Smanski