Patents by Inventor Quinn Qun Zhu

Quinn Qun Zhu 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: 7556949
    Abstract: The present invention relates to ?17 desaturases, which have the ability to convert ?-6 fatty acids into their ?-3 counterparts (i.e., conversion of arachidonic acid [20:4, ARA] to eicosapentaenoic acid [20:5, EPA]). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?17 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?17 desaturases in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 7, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Narendra S. Yadav, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7553628
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of ?-3 and/or ?-6 fatty acids in oleaginous yeast. Thus, desaturases and elongases able to catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) to ?-linolenic acid (GLA); ?-linoleic acid (ALA) to stearidonic acid (STA); GLA to dihomo-?-linoleic acid (DGLA); STA to eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA); DGLA to arachidonic acid (ARA); ETA to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA); DGLA to ETA; EPA to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA); and ARA to EPA have been introduced into the genome of Yarrowia for synthesis of ARA and EPA.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2009
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Stephen K. Picataggio, Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7550286
    Abstract: An engineered strain of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 5.6% docosahexaenoic acid acid (DHA, an w-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction is described. This strain comprises various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases and optionally comprises various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of DHA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing DHA within said host cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Daniel Joseph Macool, Stephen K. Picataggio, James John Ragghianti, John E. Seip, Zhixiong Xue, Narendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20090119795
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-9 elongases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these delta-9 elongases in plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2006
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Brian McGonigle, Quinn Qun Zhu, Zhixiong Xue
  • Publication number: 20090117253
    Abstract: Methods of increasing the amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotes, accomplished by modifying the activity of peroxisome biogenesis factor (Pex) proteins. Disruptions of a chromosomal Pex3 gene, Pex10p gene or Pex16p gene in a PUFA-producing, oleaginous eukaryotic strain resulted in an increased amount of PUFAs, as a percent of total fatty acids and as a percent of dry cell weight, in the total lipid fraction and in the oil fraction of the strain, as compared to the parental strain whose native Pex protein was not disrupted.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: May 7, 2009
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: SEUNG-PYO HONG, PAMELA L. SHARPE, ZHIXIONG XUE, NARENDRA S. YADAV, QUINN QUN ZHU
  • Publication number: 20090093543
    Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 50 weight percent of eicosapentaenoic acid [“EPA”], an ?-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, in the total oil fraction are described. These strains over-express heterologous ?9 elongases, ?8 desaturases, ?5 desaturases, ?17 desaturases, ?12 desaturases and C16/18 elongases, and optionally over-express diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferases. Preferred gene knockouts are also described. Production host cells, methods for producing EPA within said host cells, and products comprising EPA from the optimized Yarrowia lipolytica strains are claimed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 3, 2008
    Publication date: April 9, 2009
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Zhixiong Xue, Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7511128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fatty acid desaturases and elongases able to catalyze the conversion of linoleic acid (LA) to ?-linolenic acid (GLA); ?-linoleic acid (ALA) to stearidonic acid (STA); GLA to dihomo-?-linoleic acid (DGLA); STA to eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA); DGLA to ETA; eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to docosapentaenoic acid (DPA); and arachidonic acid (ARA) to EPA. Nucleic acid sequences encoding codon-optimized desaturases and elongases, nucleic acid sequences which hybridize thereto, DNA constructs comprising the codon-optimized desaturase or elongases, and recombinant host microorganisms expressing increased levels of desaturase or elongase are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2009
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Stephen K. Picataggio, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20090082286
    Abstract: Methods to produce resveratrol and/or resveratrol glucoside in a recombinant oleaginous microorganism are provided. Expression of a resveratrol synthase gene in combination with genes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway enabled recombinant microbial production of resveratrol in significant amounts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2006
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: Lixuan Lisa Huang, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7504259
    Abstract: The present invention relates to fungal ?12 fatty acid desaturases that are able to catalyze the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid (LA; 18:2). Nucleic acid sequences encoding the desaturases, nucleic acid sequences which hybridize thereto, DNA constructs comprising the desaturase genes, and recombinant host microorganisms expressing increased levels of the desaturases are described. Methods of increasing production of specific ?-3 and ?-6 fatty acids by over-expression of the ?12 fatty acid desaturases are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu, Hongxiang Zhang
  • Publication number: 20090054247
    Abstract: The invention provides isolated pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase nucleic acids and their encoded polypeptides. The present invention provides methods and compositions relating to altering pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase levels in plants. The invention further provides recombinant expression cassettes, host cells, transgenic plants, and antibody compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 20, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Inventors: Quinn Qun Zhu, Sabine S. Hantke, Xiping Niu, Zheng Peizhong, Michele Morgante, Joan T. Odell, Saverio Carl Falco, Yiwen Fang, J. Antoni Rafalski, Hajime Sakai, Edgar B. Cahoon, Rebecca E. Cahoon, Jian-Ming Lee, Guo-Hua Miao, Zhongsen Li, Anthony J. Kinney
  • Patent number: 7470532
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a fungal C16/18 fatty acid elongase that is able to catalyze the conversion of palmitate (16:0) to stearic acid (18:0). Specifically, the nucleotide sequence of a Mortierella alpina C16/18 fatty acid elongase is provided (designated as “ELO3”). Methods of increasing microbial oil production, increasing carbon flux into the polyunsaturated fatty acid biosynthetic pathway and increasing the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids by over-expression of the C16/18 fatty acid elongase are described herein. Most desirably, the substrate specificity of the instant ELO3 will be particularly useful to enable accumulation of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in oleaginous yeast, such as Yarrowia lipolytica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Macool, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7465564
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of ?-linolenic acid (GLA) in oleaginous yeast. Thus, ?12 and ?6 desaturases able to catalyze the conversion of oleic acid to GLA have been introduced into the genome of Yarrowia, using zeta-directed integration. Transformed strains produced over 25% GLA in the total lipids, as opposed to wildtype Yarrowia that is unable to synthesize any GLA. Metabolic engineering and fermentation methods are provided to further enhance GLA productivity in oleaginous yeast.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Quinn Qun Zhu, Dana M. Walters Pollak
  • Patent number: 7465793
    Abstract: The present invention relates to ?17 desaturases, which have the ability to convert ?-6 fatty acids into their ?-3 counterparts (i.e., conversion of arachidonic acid [20:4, ARA] to eicosapentaenoic acid [20:5, EPA]). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?17 desaturases along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?17 desaturases in plants and oleaginous yeast is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 7459546
    Abstract: The regulatory sequences associated with the Yarrowia lipolytica glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (gpd) and phosphoglycerate mutase (gpm) genes have been found to be particularly effective for the expression of heterologous genes in oleaginous yeast. The promoter regions of the invention, intron and enhancer have been shown to drive high-level expression of genes involved in the production of ?-3 and ?-6 fatty acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Stephen K. Picataggio, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080286436
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-5 desaturase along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using this delta-5 desaturase in plants and oleaginous yeast are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2007
    Publication date: November 20, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080274259
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-5 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these delta-5 desaturases in plants are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080274521
    Abstract: The present invention relates to ?5 desaturases, which have the ability to convert dihomo-?-linolenic acid (DGLA; 20:3 ?-6) to arachidonic acid (ARA; 20:4 ?-6) and/or eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA; 20:4 ?-3) to eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5 ?-3). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?5 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?5 desaturases in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 29, 2008
    Publication date: November 6, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080254195
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-9 elongases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and using these delta-9 elongases in plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080254522
    Abstract: The present invention relates to ?9 elongases, which have the ability to convert linoleic acid (LA; 18:2 ?-6) to eicosadienoic acid (EDA; 20:2 ?-6) and/or ?-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3 ?-3) to eicosatrienoic acid (ETrA; 20:3 ?-3). Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding ?9 elongases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using these ?9 elongases in oleaginous yeast are disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20080254192
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding delta-8 desaturases along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and using these delta-8 desaturases in plants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 9, 2008
    Publication date: October 16, 2008
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu