Patents by Inventor Nancy W. Y. Ho

Nancy W. Y. Ho 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: 9546386
    Abstract: Provided are microorganisms, e.g., the Saccharomyces yeast, that have been made able to co-ferment xylose sugar-obtained from hydrolyzing plant cellulosic biomass form trees, grasses, straws, etc., with glucose that can be obtained from hydrolyzing either edible feedstocks such as starch, cane sugar, etc. or from hydrolyzing cellulose from various types of non-edible cellulosic biomass. The microorganisms are also capable of expressing an amylase, e.g., glucoamylase, having nonnegligible enzymatic activity, capable of producing glucose from oligo- or polysaccharides obtained by treating soluble starch with ?-amylase. In some embodiments, nucleotidic material is provided comprising genes actively expressing xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase and xylulokinase as well as an active gene expressing glucoamylase. Vectors and other compositions of matter are provided as.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Tekkware, Inc.
    Inventor: Nancy W. Y. Ho
  • Publication number: 20160060659
    Abstract: Provided are microorganisms, e.g., the Saccharomyces yeast, that have been made able to co-ferment xylose sugar-obtained from hydrolyzing plant cellulosic biomass form trees, grasses, straws, etc., with glucose that can be obtained from hydrolyzing either edible feedstocks such as starch, cane sugar, etc. or from hydrolyzing cellulose from various types of non-edible cellulosic biomass. The microorganisms are also capable of expressing an amylase, e.g., glucoamylase, having nonnegligible enzymatic activity, capable of producing glucose from oligo- or polysaccharides obtained by treating soluble starch with ?-amylase. In some embodiments, nucleotidic material is provided comprising genes actively expressing xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase and xylulokinase as well as an active gene expressing glucoamylase. Vectors and other compositions of matter are provided as.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Publication date: March 3, 2016
    Inventor: Nancy W.Y. Ho
  • Patent number: 8652772
    Abstract: Described are recombinant yeast which ferment xylose to ethanol and which maintain their ability to do so when cultured for numerous generations in non-selective media. The preferred yeast contain multiple copies of integrated genes encoding xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase, and xylulokinase fused to promoters which are non-glucose inhibited and which do not require xylose for induction. Also described are preferred methods for integrating multiple copies of exogenous DNA into host cells by transforming cells with replicative/integrative vectors, and then replicating the cells a number of times under selective pressure to promote retention of the vector in subsequent generations. The replicated vectors thus serve to integrate multiple copies of the exogenous DNA into the host cells throughout the replication/selection phase. Thereafter the selective pressure can be removed to promote loss of the vector in subsequent generations, leaving stable integrants of the exogenous DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nancy W. Y. Ho, Zheng-Dao Chen
  • Publication number: 20090246857
    Abstract: Described are recombinant yeast which ferment xylose to ethanol and which maintain their ability to do so when cultured for numerous generations in non-selective media. The preferred yeast contain multiple copies of integrated genes encoding xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase, and xylulokinase fused to promoters which are non-glucose inhibited and which do not require xylose for induction. Also described are preferred methods for integrating multiple copies of exogenous DNA into host cells by transforming cells with replicative/integrative vectors, and then replicating the cells a number of times under selective pressure to promote retention of the vector in subsequent generations. The replicated vectors thus serve to integrate multiple copies of the exogenous DNA into the host cells throughout the replication/selection phase. Thereafter the selective pressure can be removed to promote loss of the vector in subsequent generations, leaving stable integrants of the exogenous DNA.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2009
    Publication date: October 1, 2009
    Applicant: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nancy W.Y. HO, Zheng-Dao Chen
  • Patent number: 7527927
    Abstract: Described are recombinant yeast which ferment xylose to ethanol and which maintain their ability to do so when cultured for numerous generations in non-selective media. The preferred yeast contain multiple copies of integrated genes encoding xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase, and xylulokinase fused to promoters which are non-glucose inhibited and which do not require xylose for induction. Also described are preferred methods for integrating multiple copies of exogenous DNA into host cells by transforming cells with replicative/integrative vectors, and then replicating the cells a number of times under selective pressure to promote retention of the vector in subsequent generations. The replicated vectors thus serve to integrate multiple copies of the exogenous DNA into the host cells throughout the replication/selection phase. Thereafter the selective pressure can be removed to promote loss of the vector in subsequent generations, leaving stable integrants of the exogenous DNA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nancy W. Y. Ho, Zheng-Dao Chen
  • Patent number: 5789210
    Abstract: Described are recombinant yeasts containing genes encoding xylose reductase, xylitol dehydrogenase and xylulokinase, and DNA molecules, vectors and methods useful for producing such yeasts. The recombinant yeasts effectively ferment xylose to ethanol, and preferred yeasts are capable of simultaneously fermenting glucose and xylose to ethanol thereby taking full advantage of these two sugar sources as they are found in agricultural biomass.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Purdue Research Foundation
    Inventors: Nancy W. Y. Ho, George T. Tsao