Patents by Inventor Melody Jensen

Melody Jensen 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: 20130345398
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the construction, expression, and purification of synthetic or recombinant light chain (LC) botulinum neurotoxin genes from all botulinum neurotoxin serotypes. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product is stable and proteolytically active. Methods of using the products of the invention are described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Leonard A Smith, Melody Jensen
  • Patent number: 8153397
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the construction, expression, and purification of synthetic or recombinant light chain (LC) botulinum neurotoxin genes from all botulinum neurotoxin serotypes. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product is stable and proteolytically active. Methods of using the products of the invention are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2012
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Leonard A. Smith, Melody Jensen
  • Publication number: 20100273211
    Abstract: Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. The present invention relates to the construction, expression, purification, and use of synthetic or recombinant botulinum neurotoxin genes. For example, a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) was constructed and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified from inclusion bodies. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4° C. for at least 6 months. This rBoNT/A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT/A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 28, 2010
    Inventors: Leonard A. Smith, Melody Jensen
  • Publication number: 20060141572
    Abstract: Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. The present invention relates to the construction, expression, purification, and use of synthetic or recombinant botulinum neutoroxin genes. For example, a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) was constructed and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified from inclusion bodies. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4° C. for at least 6 months. This rBoNT/A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT/A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2005
    Publication date: June 29, 2006
    Inventors: Leonard Smith, Melody Jensen
  • Patent number: 7037680
    Abstract: Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. The present invention relates to the construction, expression, purification, and use of synthetic or recombinant botulinum neutoroxin genes. For example, a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) was constructed and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified from inclusion bodies. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4° C. for at least 6 months. This rBoNT/A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT/A.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2006
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Leonard A. Smith, Melody Jensen
  • Publication number: 20020168727
    Abstract: Botulinum neurotoxins, the most potent of all toxins, induce lethal neuromuscular paralysis by inhibiting exocytosis at the neuromuscular junction. The light chains (LC) of these dichain neurotoxins are a new class of zinc-endopeptidases that specifically cleave the synaptosomal proteins, SNAP-25, VAMP, or syntaxin at discrete sites. The present invention relates to the construction, expression, purification, and use of synthetic or recombinant botulinum neutoroxin genes. For example, a synthetic gene for the LC of the botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) was constructed and overexpressed in Escherichia coli. The gene product was purified from inclusion bodies. The methods of the invention can provide 1.1 g of the LC per liter of culture. The LC product was stable in solution at 4° C. for at least 6 months. This rBoNT/A LC was proteolytically active, specifically cleaving the Glu-Arg bond in a 17-residue synthetic peptide of SNAP-25, the reported cleavage site of BoNT/A.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2001
    Publication date: November 14, 2002
    Inventors: Leonard Smith, Melody Jensen