Patents by Inventor Mervi Toivari
Mervi Toivari 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).
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Patent number: 11124810Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of converting oxalate to oxalyl-coA and/or oxalyl-coA to glyoxylate in a fungus and to a method of producing glycolic acid. Still, the present invention relates to a genetically modified fungus comprising increased enzyme activity associated with oxalyl-CoA. And furthermore, the present invention relates to use of the fungus of the present invention for producing oxalate, oxalyl-coA, glyoxylate and/or glycolic acid from a carbon substrate. Still furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of producing specific products and to a method of preparing the genetically modified fungus of the present invention.Type: GrantFiled: July 27, 2018Date of Patent: September 21, 2021Assignee: Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT OyInventors: Mervi Toivari, Marja Ilmén, Merja Penttilä
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Publication number: 20200199632Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of converting oxalate to oxalyl-coA and/or oxalyl-coA to glyoxylate in a fungus and to a method of producing glycolic acid. Still, the present invention relates to a genetically modified fungus comprising increased enzyme activity associated with oxalyl-CoA. And furthermore, the present invention relates to use of the fungus of the present invention for producing oxalate, oxalyl-coA, glyoxylate and/or glycolic acid from a carbon substrate. Still furthermore, the present invention relates to a method of producing specific products and to a method of preparing the genetically modified fungus of the present invention.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 27, 2018Publication date: June 25, 2020Inventors: Mervi Toivari, Marja Ilmén, Merja Penttilä
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Patent number: 10072279Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for producing terpenes in fungi comprising the steps of (a) providing a modified terpene biosynthetic gene cluster inside a host cell, wherein one or more of the naturally occurring genes or promoters of the cluster have been replaced, truncated or removed, (b) providing a transcription factor inside the host cell, the transcription factor activating the terpene biosynthetic gene cluster; (c) cultivating said host in conditions allowing the expression of the transcription factor activating the cluster; and optionally (d) recovering the thus produced terpene product.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2013Date of Patent: September 11, 2018Assignee: Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT OyInventors: Kirsi Bromann, Mervi Toivari, Tiina Nakari-Setälä, Laura Ruohonen
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Publication number: 20160194674Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for producing terpenes in fungi comprising the steps of (a) providing a modified terpene biosynthetic gene cluster inside a host cell, wherein one or more of the naturally occurring genes or promoters of the cluster have been replaced, truncated or removed, (b) providing a transcription factor inside the host cell, the transcription factor activating the terpene biosynthetic gene cluster; (c) cultivating said host in conditions allowing the expression of the transcription factor activating the cluster; and optionally (d) recovering the thus produced terpene product.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2013Publication date: July 7, 2016Applicant: Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTTInventors: Kirsi Bromann, Mervi Toivari, Tiina Nakari-Setälä, Laura Ruohonen
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Patent number: 9315834Abstract: 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 hydrolyzed 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 hydrolyzed lignocellulosic plant biomass.Type: GrantFiled: March 17, 2010Date of Patent: April 19, 2016Assignee: Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTTInventors: Peter Richard, Marilyn Wiebe, Mervi Toivari, Dominik Mojzita, Laura Ruohonen, Merja Penttilä
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Patent number: 9238826Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing terpenes in fungi, wherein a terpene biosynthetic gene cluster having terpene biosynthetic genes and regulatory regions operably linked to said genes is activated. The invention relates also to a terpene biosynthetic gene duster and regulatory regions of such terpene biosynthetic gene cluster usable is production of terpenes, use of regulator for regulating the terpene production and use of Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4 for producing terpenes. The method of invention provides higher yields of enriched terpene product without essential amount of side-products.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2011Date of Patent: January 19, 2016Assignee: Teknologian Tutkimuskeskus VTT OyInventors: Kirsi Bromann, Tina Nakari-Setala, Laura Ruohonen, Mervi Toivari, Merja Penttila
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Publication number: 20140045238Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing terpenes in fungi, wherein a terpene biosynthetic gene cluster having terpene biosynthetic genes and regulatory regions operably linked to said genes is activated. The invention relates also to a terpene biosynthetic gene cluster and regulatory regions of such terpene biosynthetic gene cluster usable is production of terpenes, use of regulator for regulating the terpene production and use of Aspergillus nidulans FGSC A4 for producing terpenes. The method of invention provides higher yields of enriched terpene product without essential amount of side-products.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2011Publication date: February 13, 2014Applicant: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTTInventors: Kirsi Bromann, Tiina Nakari-Setala, Laura Ruohonen, Mervi Toivari, Merja Penttila
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Publication number: 20120005788Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2010Publication date: January 5, 2012Applicant: TEKNOLOGIAN TUTKIMUSKESKUS VTTInventors: Peter Richard, Marilyn Wiebe, Mervi Toivari, Dominik Mojzita, Laura Ruohonen, Merja Penttilä
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Publication number: 20080038779Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: May 22, 2007Publication date: February 14, 2008Inventors: 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
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Patent number: 7226761Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: July 20, 2001Date of Patent: June 5, 2007Assignee: Danisco Sweeteners OyInventors: 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
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Patent number: 7091014Abstract: 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: GrantFiled: March 11, 1999Date of Patent: August 15, 2006Assignee: Valtion Teknillinen TutkimuskeskusInventors: Aristos Aristidou, John Londesborough, Merja Penttilä, Peter Richard, Laura Ruohonen, Hans Söderlund, Anita Teleman, Mervi Toivari
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Publication number: 20030068791Abstract: 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: ApplicationFiled: July 20, 2001Publication date: April 10, 2003Applicant: Xyrofin OyInventors: 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