Patents by Inventor Michel Schalk

Michel Schalk 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).

  • Patent number: 10337031
    Abstract: Provided herein is an isolated polypeptide from Juniperus virginiana, Platycladus orientalis ‘Beverleyensis’ or Platycladus orientalis comprising a (+)-cedrol or a (?)-thujopsene synthase. Further provided herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule from Juniperus virginiana, Platycladus orientalis ‘Beverleyensis’ or Platycladus orientalis encoding a (+)-cedrol or (?)-thujopsene synthase. Further provided herein are methods of producing (+)-cedrol or (?)-thujopsene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 2, 2019
    Assignee: Firmenich SA
    Inventors: Michel Schalk, Fabienne Deguerry, Pan Li, Xiufeng He, Qi Wang
  • Patent number: 10253335
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene, said method comprising contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing said nucleic acid are also part of the present invention. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ?-santalene is also an object of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2019
    Assignee: Firmenich SA
    Inventor: Michel Schalk
  • Publication number: 20190002925
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing (+)-manool comprising: contacting geranylgeranyl diphosphate with an copalyl diphosphate (CPP) synthase to form a (9S, 10S)-copalyl diphosphate wherein the CPP synthase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90%, 95%, 98%, 99% and 100% sequence identity to a polypeptide selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO: 1 and SEQ ID NO:2; and contacting the CPP with a sclareol synthase enzyme to form (+)-manool.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Publication date: January 3, 2019
    Applicant: Firmenich SA
    Inventors: Michel SCHALK, Letizia ROCCI
  • Publication number: 20180251797
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing drimenol and/or drimenol derivatives by contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl diphosphate. The method may be performed in vitro or in vivo. The present invention also provides amino acid sequences of polypeptides useful in the method of the invention and nucleic acid encoding the polypeptides of the invention. The method further provides host cells or organisms genetically modified to express the polypeptides of the invention and useful to produce drimenol and/or drimenol derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2015
    Publication date: September 6, 2018
    Applicant: Firmenich SA
    Inventors: Yu-Hua ZHANG, Michel SCHALK, Olivier HAEFLIGER, Xiu-Feng HE, Fabienne DEGUERRY
  • Publication number: 20180208946
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to methods and compositions for producing a sesquiterpene alcohol comprising contacting a sesquiterpene with a P450 polypeptide with monooxygenase activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2018
    Publication date: July 26, 2018
    Applicant: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Laurent DAVIET, Letizia ROCCI, Michel SCHALK
  • Patent number: 10000773
    Abstract: The present invention provides the nucleic acid and the amino acid sequences of a cytochrome P450 capable of oxidizing terpene molecules. It also provides a method of oxidizing terpene molecules comprising contacting the cytochrome P450 of the invention with the terpene molecule intended to be oxidized. In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce oxidized terpene molecules, which may be used in different technical fields such as for example perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides an expression vector containing the nucleic acid. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed with the nucleic acid is also an object of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2018
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Michel Schalk, Fabienne Deguerry
  • Patent number: 9969999
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene by contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl phyrophosphate (fpp). In particular, the method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing the nucleic acid represent part of the present invention. A non-human host organism and a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ? santalene are also part of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2018
    Assignee: Firmenich SA
    Inventor: Michel Schalk
  • Publication number: 20180105837
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene, said method comprising contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing said nucleic acid are also part of the present invention. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ?-santalene is also an object of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Firmenich SA
    Inventor: Michel SCHALK
  • Publication number: 20180094281
    Abstract: Provided herein is an isolated polypeptide from Juniperus virginiana, Platycladus orientalis ‘Beverleyensis’ or Platycladus orientalis comprising a (+)-cedrol or a (?)-thujopsene synthase. Further provided herein is an isolated nucleic acid molecule from Juniperus virginiana, Platycladus orientalis ‘Beverleyensis’ or Platycladus orientalis encoding a (+)-cedrol or (?)-thujopsene synthase. Further provided herein are methods of producing (+)-cedrol or (?)-thujopsene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2016
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Firmenich SA
    Inventors: Michel SCHALK, Fabienne DEGUERRY, Pan LI, Xiufeng HE, Qi WANG
  • Patent number: 9909145
    Abstract: This invention relates generally to methods and compositions for producing a sesquiterpene alcohol comprising contacting a sesquiterpene with a p450 polypeptide with monooxygenase activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Laurent Daviet, Letizia Rocci, Michel Schalk
  • Publication number: 20170283841
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing patchoulol and 7-epi-?-selinene, said method comprising contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl phyrophosphate (FPP). In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce patchoulol and 7-epi-?-selinene, compounds which can be useful in the field of perfumery. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing said nucleic acid are also part of the present invention. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing patchoulol and 7-epi-?-selinene is also an object of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2017
    Publication date: October 5, 2017
    Applicant: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Michel SCHALK, Fabienne DEGUERRY
  • Patent number: 9777293
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene, said method comprising contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP). In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing said nucleic acid are also part of the present invention. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ?-santalene is also an object of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventor: Michel Schalk
  • Patent number: 9745602
    Abstract: The present invention relates to the control of gene expression by a heterologous glucose-regulated promoter, to microorganisms in which gene expression is controlled by a heterologous glucose-regulated promoter and to methods using said microorganisms for the production of terpenes during glucose-limited fed-batch fermentation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Laurent Daviet, Michel Schalk, Jens Nielsen, Verena Siewers, Christoph Knuf, Gionata Scalcinati
  • Patent number: 9714440
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing patchoulol and 7-epi-?-selinene, said method comprising contacting at least one polypeptide with famesyl phyrophosphate (FPP). In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce patchoulol and 7-epi-?-seline, compounds which can be useful in the field of perfumery. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing said nucleic acid are also part of the present invention. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing patchoul and 7-epi-?-selinene is also an object of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Michel Schalk, Fabienne Deguerry
  • Patent number: 9670494
    Abstract: The present invention relates to yeast cells producing high levels of acetoacetyl-CoA. It also relates to a method for making such yeast cells and to the use of such yeast cells in a method for producing acetyl-CoA derived products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Jens Nielsen, Verena Siewers, Yun Chen, Laurent Daviet, Michel Schalk
  • Publication number: 20160215301
    Abstract: Methods and compositions for producing a sesquiterpene alcohol comprising contacting a sesquiterpene with a p450 polypeptide with monooxygenase activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 19, 2014
    Publication date: July 28, 2016
    Applicant: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Laurent DAVIET, Letizia ROCCI, Michel SCHALK
  • Publication number: 20160177288
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene by contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl phyrophosphate (fpp). In particular, the method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing the nucleic acid represent part of the present invention. A non-human host organism and a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ? santalene are also part of the present invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 3, 2016
    Publication date: June 23, 2016
    Inventor: Michel SCHALK
  • Patent number: 9297004
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing ?-santalene by contacting at least one polypeptide with farnesyl phyrophosphate (fpp). In particular, the method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce ?-santalene, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of a polypeptide useful in the method of the invention. A nucleic acid encoding the polypeptide of the invention and an expression vector containing the nucleic acid represent part of the present invention. A non-human host organism and a cell transformed to be used in the method of producing ?-santalene are also part of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 29, 2016
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventor: Michel Schalk
  • Patent number: 9267155
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing sclareol, the method comprising contacting a particular polypeptide having a sclareol synthase activity with labdenediol diphosphate (LPP). In particular, the method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce sclareol, a very useful compound in the fields of perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides the amino acid sequence of the polypeptide used in the method. A nucleic acid derived from Salvia sclarea and encoding the polypeptide of the invention, an expression vector containing the nucleic acid, as well as a non-human organism or a cell transformed to harbor the same nucleic acid, are also part of the present invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventor: Michel Schalk
  • Publication number: 20150218588
    Abstract: The present invention provides the nucleic acid and the amino acid sequences of a cytochrome P450 capable of oxidizing terpene molecules. It also provides a method of oxidizing terpene molecules comprising contacting the cytochrome P450 of the invention with the terpene molecule intended to be oxidized. In particular, said method may be carried out in vitro or in vivo to produce oxidized terpene molecules, which may be used in different technical fields such as for example perfumery and flavoring. The present invention also provides an expression vector containing the nucleic acid. A non-human host organism or a cell transformed with the nucleic acid is also an object of the invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: FIRMENICH SA
    Inventors: Michel Schalk, Fabienne Deguerry