Patents by Inventor Mark A. Maffitt

Mark A. Maffitt 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).

  • Nucleic acid amplification with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of RNA replicases
    Patent number: 6677140
    Abstract: The present invention entails methods and kits for carrying them out based on the discovery that an RNA replicase, such as Q&bgr; replicase, has DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (“DDRP”) activity with nucleic acid segments, including DNA segments and DNA:RNA chimeric segments, which comprise a 2′-deoxyribonucleotide or an analog thereof and which have sequences of RNAs that are autocatalytically replicatable by the replicase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Randall L. Dimond, Steven J. Ekenberg, James R. Hartnett, Geoffrey R. Hudson, Leopoldo G. Mendoza, Katharine M. Miller, John E. Monahan, Christopher L. Jones, Mark A. Maffitt, Richard A. Martinelli, Edward E. Pahuski, James W. Schumm
  • Nucleic acid amplification with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of RNA replicases
    Publication number: 20020192677
    Abstract: The present invention entails methods, and kits for carrying them out, based on the discovery that an RNA replicase, such as Q&bgr; replicase, has DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (“DDRP”) activity with nucleic acid segments, including DNA segments and DNA:RNA chimeric segments, which comprise a 2′-deoxyribonucleotide or an analog thereof and which have sequences of RNAs that are autocatalytically replicatable by the replicase. The discovery of this DDRP activity provides methods of the invention for nucleic acid amplification wherein a nucleic acid, with a DNA segment with the sequence of an RNA that is autocatalytically replicatable by an RNA replicase, is provided as a substrate for the replicase. The replicase catalyzes synthesis, from the DNA segment, of the RNA, which the replicase then autocatalytically replicates. The invention entails use of the amplification methods in detecting nucleic acid analytes, as in nucleic acid probe hybridization assays.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2002
    Publication date: December 19, 2002
    Applicant: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Randall L. Dimond, Steven J. Ekenberg, James R. Hartnett, Geoffrey R. Hudson, Leopoldo G. Mendoza, Katharine M. Miller, John E. Monahan, Christopher L. Jones, Mark A. Maffitt, Richard A. Martinelli, Edward E. Pahuski, James W. Schumm
  • Nucleic acid amplification with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of RNA replicases
    Patent number: 6369207
    Abstract: The present invention entails methods, and kits for carrying them out, based on the discovery that an RNA replicase, such as Q&bgr; replicase, has DNA-dependent RNA polymerase (“DDRP”) activity with nucleic acid segments, including DNA segments and DNA:RNA chimeric segments, which comprise a 2′-deoxyribonucleotide or an analog thereof and which have sequences of RNAs that are autocatalytically replicatable by the replicase. The discovery of this DDRP activity provides methods of the invention for nucleic acid amplification wherein a nucleic acid, with a DNA segment with the sequence of an RNA that is autocatalytically replicatable by an RNA replicase, is provided as a substrate for the replicase. The replicase catalyzes synthesis, from the DNA segment, of the RNA, which the replicase then autocatalytically replicates. The invention entails use of the amplification methods in detecting nucleic acid analytes, as in nucleic acid probe hybridization assays.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2002
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Randall L. Dimond, Steven J. Ekenberg, James R. Hartnett, Geoffrey R. Hudson, Leopoldo G. Mendoza, Katharine M. Miller, John E. Monahan, Christopher L. Jones, Mark A. Maffitt, Richard A. Martinelli, Edward E. Pahuski, James W. Schumm
  • Enzymatically-active recombinant human &bgr;-tryptase and method of making same
    Patent number: 6274366
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of expressing enzymatically-active, recombinant human &bgr;-tryptase in a yeast host cell, expression constructs which drive the production of enzymatically-active tryptase in transformed yeast, and genetically-engineered yeast containing the expression constructs and which express enzymatically-active human &bgr;-tryptase. Uses for the tryptase so produced are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Mark A. Maffitt, Andrew L. Niles, Mary Haak-Frendscho
  • Nucleic acid amplification with DNA-dependent RNA polymerase activity of RNA replicases
    Patent number: 6090589
    Abstract: The present invention entails methods, and kits for carrying them out, based on the discovery that an RNA replicase, such as Q.beta. replicase, has DNA-dependent RNA polymerase ("DDRP") activity with nucleic acid segments, including DNA segments and DNA:RNA chimeric segments, which comprise a 2'-deoxyribonucleotide or an analog thereof and which have sequences of RNAs that are autocatalytically replicatable by the replicase. The discovery of this DDRP activity provides methods of the invention for nucleic acid amplification wherein a nucleic acid, with a DNA segment with the sequence of an RNA that is autocatalytically replicatable by an RNA replicase, is provided as a substrate for the replicase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2000
    Assignee: Promega Corporation
    Inventors: Randall L. Dimond, Steven J. Ekenberg, James R. Hartnett, Geoffrey R. Hudson, Leopoldo G. Mendoza, Katharine M. Miller, John E. Monahan, Christopher L. Jones, Mark A. Maffitt, Richard A. Martinelli, Edward E. Pahuski, James W. Schumm