Patents by Inventor William Widner

William Widner 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: 20140141471
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for degrading or converting a cellulosic material and for producing substances from the cellulosic material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2012
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Feng Xu, William Widner, Ani Tejirian
  • Publication number: 20140038235
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2013
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: Novozymes Biopharma DK A/S
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Regine Behr, William Widner, Stephen Brown, Maria Tang, David Sternberg
  • Patent number: 8574886
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, Stephen Brown, Leslie Naggiar, Linda Sternberg
  • Publication number: 20120329090
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing a heterologous polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a mutant of a parent bacterial cell in a medium for the production of the heterologous polypeptide, wherein (i) the mutant cell comprises a first polynucleotide encoding the heterologous polypeptide which comprises two or more (several) cysteines, and a second polynucleotide comprising a modification of a gene encoding a thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase that incorrectly catalyzes the formation of one or more (several) disulfide bonds between the two or more (several) cysteines of the heterologous polypeptide, and (ii) the mutant cell is deficient in production of the thiol-disulfide oxidoreductase compared to the parent bacterial cell when cultivated under the same conditions; and (b) recovering the heterologous polypeptide from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to such bacterial mutants and methods for producing such bacterial mutants.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2010
    Publication date: December 27, 2012
    Applicants: NOVOZYMES A/S, NOVOZYMES, INC.
    Inventors: William Widner, Bjarke Christensen
  • Publication number: 20120301955
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide having biological activity in a bacterial cell, comprising: (a) cultivating a bacterial host cell in a medium conducive for production of the polypeptide, wherein the bacterial host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a promoter region operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide and a modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the promoter region and upstream of the ribosome binding site of the polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide, wherein the modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence promotes higher expression of the polynucleotide sequence compared to an unmodified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence; and (b) isolating the polypeptide having biological activity from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Thomas, Gloria Erichsen, William Widner
  • Patent number: 8268586
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide having biological activity in a bacterial cell, comprising: (a) cultivating a bacterial host cell in a medium conducive for production of the polypeptide, wherein the bacterial host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a promoter region operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide and a modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the promoter region and upstream of the ribosome binding site of the polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide, wherein the modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence promotes higher expression of the polynucleotide sequence compared to an unmodified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence; and (b) isolating the polypeptide having biological activity from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Thomas, Gloria Erichsen, William Widner
  • Publication number: 20120149067
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Leslie Naggiar, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Linda Sternberg, Stephen Brown
  • Patent number: 8137951
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2012
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Leslie Naggiar, legal representative, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Linda Sternberg, legal representative, Stephen Brown
  • Patent number: 8093036
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2012
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Leslie Naggiar, legal representative, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Linda Sternberg, legal representative, Stephen Brown
  • Publication number: 20110189737
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2011
    Publication date: August 4, 2011
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Stephen Brown, Leslie Naggiar, Linda Sternberg
  • Publication number: 20110014662
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: January 20, 2011
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Leslie Naggiar, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Linda Sternberg, Stephen Brown
  • Patent number: 7811806
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Stephen Brown
  • Publication number: 20100028943
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of producing a polypeptide having biological activity in a bacterial cell, comprising: (a) cultivating a bacterial host cell in a medium conducive for production of the polypeptide, wherein the bacterial host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a promoter region operably linked to a polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide and a modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the promoter region and upstream of the ribosome binding site of the polynucleotide sequence encoding the polypeptide, wherein the modified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence promotes higher expression of the polynucleotide sequence compared to an unmodified mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence; and (b) isolating the polypeptide having biological activity from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 19, 2007
    Publication date: February 4, 2010
    Applicant: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Thomas, Gloria Erichsen, William Widner
  • Patent number: 7179634
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the Bacillus cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising (i) a tandem promoter in which each promoter sequence of the tandem promoter is operably linked to a single copy of a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide and alternatively also (ii) an mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the tandem promoter and upstream of the nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide; and (b) isolating the polypeptide from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Novozymes, Inc.
    Inventors: William Widner, Alan Sloma, Michael D. Thomas
  • Publication number: 20050221446
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a triple promoter comprising a variant amyL promoter having a mutation corresponding to position 590 of SEQ ID NO: 1, a consensus promoter having the sequence TTGACA for the “?35” region and TATAAT for the “?10” region, and a cryIIIA promoter, in which each promoter sequence of the triple promoter is operably linked to one or more coding sequences involved in the biosynthesis of the hyaluronic acid; and (b) isolating the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 31, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: Novozymes Biopolymer A/S.
    Inventors: William Widner, Alan Sloma, Michael Thomas, Maria Tang
  • Publication number: 20030175902
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a hyaluronic acid, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell under conditions suitable for production of the hyaluronic acid, wherein the Bacillus host cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising a hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence operably linked to a promoter sequence foreign to the hyaluronan synthase encoding sequence; and (b) recovering the hyaluronic acid from the cultivation medium. The present invention also relates to an isolated nucleic acid sequence encoding a hyaluronan synthase operon comprising a hyaluronan synthase gene and a UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase gene, and optionally one or more genes selected from the group consisting of a UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase gene, UDP-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase gene, and glucose-6-phosphate isomerase gene.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2002
    Publication date: September 18, 2003
    Applicant: Novozymes Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan Sloma, Regine Behr, William Widner, Maria Tang, David Sternberg, Stephen Brown
  • Publication number: 20030170876
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the Bacillus cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising (i) a tandem promoter in which each promoter sequence of the tandem promoter is operably linked to a single copy of a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide and alternatively also (ii) an mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the tandem promoter and upstream of the nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide; and (b) isolating the polypeptide from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 12, 2001
    Publication date: September 11, 2003
    Applicant: Novozymes Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: William Widner, Alan Sloma, Michael D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 6255076
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the Bacillus cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising (i) a tandem promoter in which each promoter sequence of the tandem promoter is operably linked to a single copy of a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide and alternatively also (ii) an mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the tandem promoter and upstream of the nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide; and (b) isolating the polypeptide from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2001
    Assignee: Novozymes Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: William Widner, Alan Sloma, Michael D. Thomas
  • Patent number: 5955310
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for producing a polypeptide, comprising: (a) cultivating a Bacillus host cell in a medium conducive for the production of the polypeptide, wherein the Bacillus cell comprises a nucleic acid construct comprising (i) a tandem promoter in which each promoter sequence of the tandem promoter is operably linked to a single copy of a nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide and (ii) an mRNA processing/stabilizing sequence located downstream of the tandem promoter and upstream of the nucleic acid sequence encoding the polypeptide; and (b) isolating the polypeptide from the cultivation medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1999
    Assignee: Novo Nordisk Biotech, Inc.
    Inventors: William Widner, Alan Sloma, Michael D. Thomas