Patents by Inventor Qun Zhu

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).

  • Publication number: 20130337514
    Abstract: Acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase [“LPCAT”] having the ability to convert acyl-CoA+1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine to CoA+1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (EC 2.3.1.23) is disclosed herein to be over-expressed along with the over-expression of phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase [“PDAT”] having the ability to transfer a fatty acyl group from the sn-2 position of a phospholipid (e.g., phosphatidylcholine) to the sn-3 position of 1,2-diacylglycerol [E.C.2.3.1.158], thus resulting in a lysophospholipid and TAG. Co-expression of these enzymes in a recombinant microbial host cell resulted in increased production of long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”].
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Michael W. Bostick, Narendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20130337538
    Abstract: Mutant acyl-CoA:lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases [“LPCATs”] having the ability to convert acyl-CoA+1-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine to CoA+1,2-diacyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (EC 2.3.1.23) are disclosed herein. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding mutant LPCATs, along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”] using these mutant LPCATs in oleaginous yeast, are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Publication date: December 19, 2013
    Inventors: Michael W. Bostick, Narendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8609369
    Abstract: Promoter regions associated with the Yarrowia lipolytica peroxisomal 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (SPS19) gene are disclosed and have been found to be particularly effective for the expression of heterologous genes in yeast. These promoter regions will be useful for driving high-level expression of genes involved in the production of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Quinn Qun Zhu, Seung-Pyo Hong
  • Publication number: 20130260427
    Abstract: Transgenic Yarrowia species are disclosed herein that comprise a polynucleotide encoding a cytosolic malic enzyme, a lipid content that is at least about 35% by weight of the dry cell weight of the Yarrowia species, and an engineered polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) biosynthetic pathway, wherein overexpression of the cytosolic malic enzyme increases lipid content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 3, 2013
    Applicant: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Daniel Joseph Macool, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20130254931
    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: March 15, 2013
    Publication date: September 26, 2013
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Brian McGonigle, Quinn Qun Zhu, Zhixiong Xue
  • Publication number: 20130230891
    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: February 28, 2013
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: E I Du Pont De Nemours And Company
    Inventors: Seung-Pyo Hong, Pamela L. Sharpe, Zhixiong Xue, Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8524485
    Abstract: Methods for increasing C18 to C20 elongation conversion efficiency and/or ?4 desaturation conversion efficiency in long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid [“LC-PUFA”]-producing recombinant oleaginous microbial host cells are provided herein, based on over-expression of acyl-CoA:lysophospholipid acyltransferases [“LPLATs”] (e.g., Ale1, LPAAT, LPCAT). Production host cells and oils produced by the methods of the invention are also claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Narendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8518674
    Abstract: Engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing greater than 25% eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, an ?-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid) in the total oil fraction are described. These strains comprise various chimeric genes expressing heterologous desaturases, elongases and acyltransferases and optionally comprise various native desaturase and acyltransferase knockouts to enable synthesis and high accumulation of EPA. Production host cells are claimed, as are methods for producing EPA within said host cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Peter John Gillies, Daniel Joseph Macool, Stephen K. Picataggio, Dana M. Walters Pollak, James John Ragghianti, Zhixiong Xue, Narendra S. Yadav, Hongxiang Zhang, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8470571
    Abstract: Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding a delta-8 desaturase along with a method of making long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) using this delta-8 desaturase in plants and oleaginous yeast are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8435758
    Abstract: Methods of increasing the total lipid content in a eukaryotic cell, the total content of polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”], and/or the ratio of desaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids by reducing the activity of the heterotrimeric SNF1 protein kinase are disclosed. Preferably, the chromosomal genes encoding the Snf1 ?-subunit, Gal83 ?-subunit or Snf4 ?-subunit of the SNF1 protein kinase, the upstream regulatory genes encoding Sak1, Hxk2, Glk1 or Reg1, or the downstream genes encoding Rme1, Cbr1 or Snf3 are manipulated in a PUFA-producing strain of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, resulting in increased total lipid content, as compared to the parent strain comprising the heterotrimeric SNF1 protein kinase not having reduced activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Seung-Pyo Hong, Quinn Qun Zhu, John E. Seip
  • Patent number: 8420892
    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: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Brian McGonigle, Quinn Qun Zhu, Zhixiong Xue
  • Publication number: 20130089910
    Abstract: Promoter regions associated with the Yarrowia lipolytica n-alkane-hydroxylating cytochrome P450 (ALK2) gene are disclosed and have been found to be particularly effective for the expression of heterologous genes in yeast. These promoter regions will be useful for driving high-level expression of genes involved in the production of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventor: Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20130089911
    Abstract: Promoter regions associated with the Yarrowia lipolytica peroxisomal 2,4-dienoyl-CoA reductase (SPS19) gene are disclosed and have been found to be particularly effective for the expression of heterologous genes in yeast. These promoter regions will be useful for driving high-level expression of genes involved in the production of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 2, 2012
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: QUINN QUN ZHU, SEUNG-PYO HONG
  • Patent number: 8399242
    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: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Stephen K. Picataggio, Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8399226
    Abstract: Described are engineered strains of the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica capable of producing an oil comprising greater than 50 weight percent of eicosapentaenoic acid [“EPA”], an ?-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, measured as a weight percent of total fatty acids [“% TFAs”] and having a ratio of at least 3.1 of EPA % TFAs, to linoleic acid, measured as % TFAs. These strains over-express at least one ?9 elongase/?8 desaturase multizyme, in addition to other heterologous ?9 elongases, ?8 desaturases, ?5 desaturases, ?17 desaturases, ?12 desaturases, C16/18 elongases, and optionally over-express diacylglycerol cholinephosphotransferases, malonyl CoA synthetases and/or acyl-CoA lysophospholipid acyltransferases. The strains possess at least one peroxisome biogenesis factor protein knockout. Methods for producing EPA within said host cells, oils obtained from the cells, and products therefrom are claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Seung-Pyo Hong, Pamela L. Sharpe, Zhixiong Xue, Narendra S. Yadav, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8367383
    Abstract: The present invention relates to mutant ?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] and which possess at least one mutation within the HPGG motif of the cytochome b5-like domain. 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 mutant ?5 desaturases in oleaginous yeast, are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Quinn Qun Zhu, Dana M. Walters Pollak
  • Publication number: 20130011846
    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: Application
    Filed: June 28, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: E I DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Narendra S. Yadav, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Publication number: 20130007912
    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: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: EI DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY; AND PIONEER HI-BRED INTERNATIONAL INC
    Inventors: Quinn Qun Zhu, Sabine S. Hantke, Xiping Niu, Zheng Peihong, 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
  • Publication number: 20120329160
    Abstract: Transgenic oleaginous yeast having increased oil content comprising increased Yap1 transcription factor activity, wherein the increased oil content is compared to the oil content of a non-transgenic oleaginous yeast, are described herein. The increased Yap1 transcription factor activity results from overexpressing a Yap1 transcription factor, by increasing the interaction between the transcription factor and a protein that is capable of activating the transcription factor, or by a combination thereof. Methods of using these yeast strains are also described.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 29, 2011
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicant: E.I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Seung-Pyo Hong, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8338152
    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: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Howard Glenn Damude, Quinn Qun Zhu