Oxidoreductase (1. ) (e.g., Luciferase) Patents (Class 435/189)
  • Publication number: 20120226062
    Abstract: Mutant delta-9 elongases having the ability to convert linoleic acid [18:2, LA] to eicosadienoic acid [20:2, EDA] and/or ?-linolenic [18:3, ALA] to eicosatrienoic acid [20:3, ETrA] are disclosed herein. Isolated nucleic acid fragments and recombinant constructs comprising such fragments encoding mutant delta-9 elongases, along with a method of making long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [“PUFAs”] using these mutant delta-9 elongases in oleaginous yeast are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Publication date: September 6, 2012
    Applicant: E. I. DU PONT DE NEMOURS AND COMPANY
    Inventors: Michael W. Bostick, Hongxian He, Yougen Li, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8257952
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize a variety of chiral compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Onorato Campopiano, Emily Mundorff, Birthe Borup, Rama Voladri
  • Publication number: 20120219988
    Abstract: The present invention provides a highly efficient method of polymerizing a protein and a composition of polymerizing a protein. For example, the present invention provides a method comprising contacting a tyrosinase derived from nameko mushroom (Pholiota microspora) with a protein to be polymerized. The present invention also provides a composition for polymerizing a protein, comprising a tyrosinase derived from nameko mushroom (Pholiota microspora). In the present invention, glutamyltransferase can be optionally used. In addition, the protein to be polymerized includes, but not limited to, fish meat protein, egg white protein, a soybean protein, collagen, casein and gelatin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 23, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Applicants: ISHIKAWA PREFECTURAL UNIVERSITY, SUGIYO CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Yasuko KONISHI, Fumio NODA, Ryota OHARA
  • Publication number: 20120220010
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to hydrogen production for use in fuel cells, foodstuffs and chemical production, and more particularly, to biologically and photosynthetically produced hydrogen. Specifically, disclosed is a method for producing bacteria and green alga that can produce hydrogen in quantities that exceed four hundred percent of the hydrogen produced by green alga in nature; thus, producing organisms which can serve as hydrogen generators for fuel cells, chemical production and numerous other applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: August 30, 2012
    Inventors: Scott Plummer, Mark Plummer
  • Patent number: 8252559
    Abstract: A method and system for selectively fluorinating organic molecules on a target site wherein the target site is activated and then fluorinated are shown together with a method and system for identifying a molecule having a biological activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: The California Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Rudi Fasan, Frances H. Arnold
  • Patent number: 8252579
    Abstract: The present invention concerns a new method of preparation of a strain of evolved micro-organisms for the production of 1,2-propanediol by the metabolism of a simple carbon source, which method comprises the growth under selection pressure in an appropriate growth medium containing a simple carbon source of an initial bacterial strain that has undergone the deletion of the gene tpiA and the deletion of at least one gene involved in the conversion of methylglyoxal (propanal) into lactate, in order to cause, in said initial strain, the evolution of one or more genes involved in the biosynthesis pathway from DHAP to methylglyoxal and then to 1,2-propanediol towards evolved genes that possess an improved “1,2-propanediol synthase activity”, the resulting strain or strains of evolved micro-organisms possessing an improved “1,2-propanediol synthase activity” then being selected and isolated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Metabolic Explorer
    Inventors: Isabelle Meynial-Salles, Benjamin Gonzalez, Philippe Soucaille
  • Publication number: 20120215018
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods of synthesizing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, in recombinant cells such as yeast or plant cells. Also provided are recombinant cells or plants which produce long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a group of new enzymes which possess desatorase or elongase activity that can be used in methods of synthesizing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 16, 2012
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventors: Surinder Pal Singh, Stanley Suresh Robert, Peter David Nichols, Susan Irene Ellis Blackburn, Xue-Rong Zhou, James Robertson Petrie, Allan Graham Green
  • Publication number: 20120210465
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for the production of unsaturated fatty acids with at least two double bonds. The invention furthermore relates to the use of nucleic acid sequences SEQ ID NO: 1, 3, 5, 9, and 11 encoding polypeptides having desaturase or elongase activity in the method and for generating a transgenic organism, preferably a transgenic plant or a transgenic microorganism, with an increased content of fatty acids, oils or lipids with unsaturated C18-, C20-, or C22-fatty acids, and to their homologs or derivatives, to gene constructs encompassing these genes, and to their use alone or in combination with biosynthesis genes of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The invention also relates to multiexpression cassettes for seed-specific expression, and to vectors or organisms which encompass a desaturase gene alone or in combination with further desaturases and/or elongase genes or homologs using said expression cassettes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2012
    Publication date: August 16, 2012
    Applicant: BASF Plant Science GmbH
    Inventors: Jens Lerchl, Andreas Renz, Ernst Heinz, Frederic Domergue, Ulrich Zähringer
  • Patent number: 8241884
    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: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Narendra S. Yadav, Zhixiong Xue, Quinn Qun Zhu
  • Patent number: 8241879
    Abstract: The technology relates in part to biological methods for producing adipic acid and engineered microorganisms capable of such production.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Verdezyne, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Picataggio, Tom Beardslee
  • Patent number: 8241845
    Abstract: The invention provides an isolated, novel steroid 5?-reductase enzyme termed SRD5AIII. The protein has an estimated molecular weight of 37 kDa and is capable of converting testosterone to dihydrotestosterone at a pH of about 7.0. Also provided is a method for identifying inhibitors of SRD5AIII by contacting SRD5AIII with a test compound and measuring the activity of the enzyme. A reduced activity relative to a control indicates that the test compound is an inhibitor of SRD5AIII. A method is also provided for detecting androgen stimulated prostate cancer or recurrent prostate cancer in an individual. The method comprises obtaining a prostate biopsy from an individual and determining the level of expression of SRD5AIII gene or protein relative to a normal control. An increased expression of SRD5AIII relative to the control is indicative of androgen stimulated prostate cancer or recurrent prostate cancer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: Health Research Inc.
    Inventors: James L. Mohler, Mark Titus, Olga Kozyreva, O. Harris Ford, III, Elsbieta Kawinski, Yun Li
  • Publication number: 20120202256
    Abstract: A method of producing human metabolites of simvastatin or lovastatin, and more particularly, a method of producing human metabolites of simvastatin and lovastatin by using bacterial cytochrome P450 BM3(CYP102A1) or mutants thereof, and a composition and kit therefor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: GLO BIOTECH
    Inventors: Chul Ho Yun, Keon Hee Kim, Dong Hyun Kim, Ji Yeon Kang, Sun Ha Park
  • Patent number: 8236551
    Abstract: The present application provides genetically modified fungal organisms that produce enzyme mixtures exhibiting enhanced hydrolysis of cellulosic material to glucose, enzyme mixtures produced by the genetically modified fungal organisms, and processes for producing glucose from cellulose using such enzyme mixtures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Ish Kumar Dhawan, Dipnath Baidyaroy, Andrew Shaw, Oleh Tanchak, Christopher Hill, Chengsong Liu, Amala Chokshi, Brian R. Scott
  • Patent number: 8236540
    Abstract: The invention relates to the nucleotide and amino acid sequences, and to the activity and use, of the luciferases LuAL, Lu164, Lu16, Lu39, Lu45, Lu52 and Lu22.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH
    Inventors: Stefan Golz, Bernd Kalthof, Svetlana Markova, Ludmila Frank, Eugene Vysotski
  • Publication number: 20120196347
    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 18, 2012
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Inventors: HOWARD GLENN DAMUDE, QUINN QUN ZHU
  • Publication number: 20120190635
    Abstract: The present invention provides regio- and stereoselective oxidation of unactivated C—H bonds using an engineered mutant cytochrome P450 monooxygenase and an engineered substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
    Inventors: Shengying Li, David H. Sherman, John Montgomery, Mani R. Chaulagain, Allison R. Knauff
  • Patent number: 8227206
    Abstract: The present invention disclosed a method to detect pregnancy and identify pseudopregnancy, pregnancy and pregnancy loss using ceruloplasmin as a non-invasive marker in animal urine samples. More specifically, this invention provide provides a method to use a non-invasive marker of inflammation, the acute phase protein ceruloplasmin, in urine samples to detect pregnancy and to distinguish between pregnancy and pseudopregnancy in mammals. The steps of this method include: collecting fresh urine sample from a mammal, adding a ceruloplasmin substrate to the urine sample, measuring oxidase activity of said ceruloplasmin through a sequential reading of absorbance of a photometric product using a spectrophotometer to determine the concentration of ceruloplasmin in the at least one urine sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Memphis Zoo, Inc.
    Inventor: Erin Lynn Willis
  • Patent number: 8227227
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cells producing at least one polypeptide of interest and expressing one or more recombinant nuclease encoding gene(s) thereby producing the nuclease(s), and methods for producing a polypeptide of interest essentially free from contaminating DNA, said method comprising the steps of: (a) cultivating a cell that produces at least one polypeptide of interest and expresses one or more recombinant nuclease encoding gene(s) thereby producing the nuclease(s); and (b) isolating the polypeptide of interest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Michael Dolberg Rasmussen, Jon Martin Persson
  • Patent number: 8227228
    Abstract: The present invention relates to novel D-amino acid oxidase isolated and purified from Candida intermedia, a gene encoding the D-amino acid oxidase, a recombinant plasmid containing the gene, and a transformant into which the D-amino acid oxidase gene has been introduced, as well as a production method of D-amino acid oxidase including culturing the transformant. Moreover, the present invention relates to a production method of L-amino acids, 2-oxo acids or cyclic imines, which include reacting racemic amino acids with the D-amino acid oxidase, more preferably, a production method of L-amino acids, which includes reacting racemic amino acid with the D-amino acid oxidase, amino acid dehydrogenase and an enzyme having a coenzyme-regenerating activity. According to the present invention, L-amino acids, 2-oxo acids or cyclic imines can be produced with good efficiency in an industrial scale.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 2006
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Kanamaru, Makoto Ueda, Ryuuji Miki, Hirokazu Nanba
  • Patent number: 8227218
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the enzymatic reduction of alkyne derivatives of the formula (1), wherein R1 represents H, C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, or an optionally substituted carbocyclic or heterocyclic, aromatic or non-aromatic group, R2 represents H, C1-C6-alkyl, C2-C6-alkenyl, by reaction in the presence of special reductases.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Rainer Stürmer, Bernhard Hauer, Bettina Rosche, André Mueller
  • Patent number: 8227229
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides engineered ketoreductase enzymes having improved properties as compared to a naturally occurring wild-type ketoreductase enzyme. Also provided are polynucleotides encoding the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, host cells capable of expressing the engineered ketoreductase enzymes, and methods of using the engineered ketoreductase enzymes to synthesize chiral compounds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignees: Codexis, Inc., Pfizer, Inc.
    Inventors: Jack Liang, Stephane J. Jenne, Emily Mundorff, Rama Voladri, James LaLonde, Gjalt W. Huisman
  • Publication number: 20120184015
    Abstract: Nucleic acids encoding cytochrome P450 variants are provided. The cytochrome P450 variants of have a higher alkane-oxidation capability, alkene-oxidation capability, and/or a higher organic-solvent resistance than the corresponding wild-type or parent cytochrome P450 enzyme. A preferred wild-type cytochrome P450 is cytochrome P450 BM-3. Preferred cytochrome P450 variants include those having an improved capability to hydroxylate alkanes and epoxidate alkenes comprising less than 8 carbons, and have amino acid substitutions corresponding to V78A, H236Q, and E252G of cytochrome P450 BM-3. Preferred cytochrome P450 variants also include those having an improved hydroxylation activity in solutions comprising co-solvents such as DMSO and THF, and have amino acid substitutions corresponding to T235A, R471A, E494K, and S1024E of cytochrome P450 BM-3.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: THE CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Edgardo T. Farinas, Frances H. Arnold, Ulrich Schwaneberg, Anton Glieder
  • Publication number: 20120184006
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the present invention relates to isolated enzymes useful in reducing a fatty acyl-CoA to a corresponding fatty alcohol in a single biosynthetic step, polynucleotides encoding the enzymes, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and enzymes. In some embodiments, the invention provides for isolated or recombinant enzymes capable of reducing a fatty acyl-CoA to a fatty alcohol. In still another embodiment, the invention provides for isolated or recombinant polynucleotides encoding an enzyme capable of reducing a fatty acyl-CoA to a fatty alcohol. In other embodiments, the invention provides for methods of making or using enzymes capable of reducing fatty acyl-CoA to a fatty alcohol, and methods of making using polynucleotides that encode the enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2012
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Robert M. Willis, Bradley D. Wahlen, Lance C. Seefeldt, Brett M. Barney
  • Publication number: 20120183993
    Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the preparation of a fermentation product from ligno-cellulosic material, comprising the following steps: a) optionally pre-treatment b) optionally washing; c) enzymatic hydrolysis; d) fermentation; and e) optionally recovery of a fermentation product; wherein in step c) an enzyme composition is used that has a temperature optimum of 55 degrees C. or more, the hydrolysis time is 40 hours or more and the temperature is 50 degrees C. or more.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 5, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Johannes Petrus Smits, Elisabeth Maria Gierveld, Fop Cornelis Van Der Hor
  • Publication number: 20120185965
    Abstract: The invention in principle pertains to the field of recombinant manufacture of fatty acids. It provides novel nucleic acid molecules comprising nucleic acid sequences encoding fatty acid desaturases, elongases, acyltransferases, terminator sequences and high expressing seed-specific promoters operatively linked to the said nucleic acid sequences wherein nucleic acid expression enhancing nucleic acids (NEENAs) are functionally linked to said promoters.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2010
    Publication date: July 19, 2012
    Applicant: BASF Plant Science Company GmbH
    Inventors: Toralf Senger, Jörg Bauer, Josef Martin Kuhn
  • Patent number: 8222016
    Abstract: Disclosed are: a recombinant C-terminal ?-amidated enzyme derivative which lacks the formation of at least one disulfide bond among five disulfide bonds occurring in a C-terminal ?-amidated enzyme derived from Xenopus laevis; DNA encoding the derivative; an expression vector carrying the DNA; a bacterium Escherichia coli transformed with the expression vector; and a method for producing the derivative by using the bacterium Escherichia coli.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited
    Inventors: Takeshi Okumura, Kazuaki Furukawa, Masayuki Yabuta
  • Patent number: 8222017
    Abstract: Methods for the evolution of NADPH binding ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes to acquire NADH binding functionality are provided. Specific mutant ketol-acid reductoisomerase enzymes isolated from Pseudomonas that have undergone co-factor switching to bind NADH are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Yougen Li, Der-Ing Liao, Mark J. Nelson, Daniel P. Okeefe, Jean-Francois Tomb
  • Patent number: 8222010
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of manufacturing renewable chemicals through the manufacture of novel triglyceride oils followed by chemical modification of the oils. Methods such as transesterification, hydrogenation, hydrocracking, deoxygenation, isomerization, interesterification, hydroxylation, hydrolysis and saponification are disclosed. Novel oils containing fatty acid chain lengths of C8, C10, C12 or C14 are also disclosed and are useful as feedstocks in the methods of the invention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Solazyme, Inc.
    Inventors: Scott Franklin, Aravind Somanchi, Karen Espina, George Rudenko, Penelope Chua
  • Publication number: 20120178141
    Abstract: Briefly described, embodiments of this disclosure include polynucleotides that encode mutant Cnidarian luciferases that exhibit modulated properties as compared to the corresponding wild-type luciferases, and the modulated properties include at least one of: modulated stability; enhanced light output; and modulated emission maximum. Embodiments of the present disclosure also include polypeptides or fragments thereof encoded by the polynucleotides, constructs including the polynucleotide, expression cassettes, cells, methods of producing the polynucleotides and polypeptides, antibodies, transgenic cells and/or animals, kits, and the like.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicants: The Regents of the University of California, The Board of Trustees of the Leland Stanford Junior University
    Inventors: Sanjiv S. Gambhir, Andreas M. Loening, Anna M. Wu
  • Patent number: 8216815
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to methods of producing fatty alcohols from recombinant host cells comprising genes encoding heterologous fatty acyl-CoA reductase (FAR) enzymes. The disclosure further relates to FAR enzymes and functional fragments thereof derived from marine bacterium and particularly marine gamma proteobacterium such as Marinobacter and Oceanobacter; polynucleotides encoding the FAR enzymes and vectors and host cells comprising the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert McDaniel, Behnaz Behrouzian, Louis Clark, Douglas Hattendorf, Fernando Valle
  • Patent number: 8216811
    Abstract: Described herein are novel nucleic acids, proteins and methods that can be used to provide new catalysts with desirable traits for industrial processes. In particular, novel reductases isolated from the environment using PCR methods are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Danisco US Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Donnelly, William H. Eschenfeldt, Jonathan Trent
  • Patent number: 8216550
    Abstract: Novel luciferins, methods of making luciferins, and uses of the same are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: University of Massachusetts
    Inventor: Stephen C. Miller
  • Publication number: 20120174242
    Abstract: An isolated polynucleotide encoding a modified luciferase polypeptide and substrates. The OgLuc variant polypeptide has at least 60% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1 and at least one amino acid substitution at a position corresponding to an amino acid in SEQ ID NO: 1. The OgLuc variant polypeptide has at least one of enhanced luminescence, enhanced signal stability, and enhanced protein stability relative to the corresponding polypeptide of the wild-type Oplophorus luciferase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Brock Binkowski, Lance P. Encell, Mary Hall, Matthew B. Robers, Michael R. Slater, Keith V. Wood, Monika G. Wood
  • Publication number: 20120171735
    Abstract: The invention relates to production of triacylglycerols in cells.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Anthony John Sinskey, Daniel MacEachran, Kazuhiko Kurosawa, Paolo Boccazzi, Jason W. Holder
  • Publication number: 20120172244
    Abstract: Genetic biomarkers for left side colon cancer (LCC) (such as expression levels of an RNA transcript or expression product of NOX4, MMP3, or a combination) and right side colon cancer (RCC) (such as expression levels of an RNA transcript or expression product of CDCX2, FAM69A, or a combination), are disclosed. Methods for using the biomarkers in providing a prognosis of relapse-free survival probability in patients having LCC or RCC are also presented. Prognostic panels using gene expression values of the biomarkers are also presented. Computer implemented methods employing the biomarkers, and as well as for determining relapse-free survival probability in a patient having RCC or LCC are provided. A genetic method for classifying a colon cancer tissue as a RCC or as a LCC is also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2011
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Inventors: Steven Buechler, Amanda Hummon
  • Publication number: 20120164696
    Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant expression of a variant form of a fungal C1 strain ?-glucosidase. The invention also relates to the generation of fermentable sugars from biomass and the production of biofuels by fermentation of the sugars using genetically modified organisms expressing the ?-glucosidase variant. The invention provides methods for producing a fermentable sugar, such as glucose, from cellobiose by contacting cellobiose with a recombinant ?-glucosidase variant protein, such as a variant protein secreted by a recombinant host cell into culture medium. Methods of the invention may be used for conversion of a biomass substrate to a fermentable sugar, and ultimately to ethanol or other biofuel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 9, 2012
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Xiyun Zhang, Attila Andor
  • Publication number: 20120164678
    Abstract: The invention relates to recombinant expression of a steviol or steviol glycosides biosynthetic pathway enzymes in cells and the production of steviol or steviol glycosides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    Inventors: Gregory Stephanopoulos, Parayil K. Ajikumar
  • Publication number: 20120159838
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing enzymes and single cell oil. The process comprises that microorganisms capable of producing both single cell oil and enzymes are cultivated under conditions suitable for single cell oil production and enzyme production in a single cell oil production process. A microorganism culture comprising single cell oil and enzymes is obtained and at least part of the microorganism culture, of the supernatant and/or microorganism cells separated from the microorganism culture, of protein fraction enriched from the supernatant, and/or of protein fraction obtained from the cells is used as an enzyme preparation or as a source of enzymes. Single cell oil is recovered from the microorganism cells and used as biofuel, component of biofuel or as a starting material for biofuel production. Enzymes produced according to the process are used in the same or in another industrial process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: NESTE OIL OYJ
    Inventors: Annika Malm, Simo Laakso, Ossi Pastinen, Heidi Kahelin, Miia Mujunen
  • Patent number: 8206957
    Abstract: A process for preparing optically active saturated aldehydes or alcohols of the formula (2) from ?,?-unsaturated aldehydes of the formula (1) by reduction in the presence of an enoate reductase (i) having the polypeptide sequence SEQ ID No. 1 or 2, or (ii) having a polypeptide sequence which is at least 80% identical to the sequence of SEQ ID No. 1 or 2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: BASF SE
    Inventors: Andreas Schädler, Thomas Friedrich, Rainer Stürmer, Sabine Rinck
  • Patent number: 8206961
    Abstract: A codon optimized and stabilized luciferase gene based upon the sequence of the natural luciferase gene isolated from Luciola cruciata (Japanese firefly) and a novel recombinant DNA characterized by incorporating this new gene coding for a novel luciferase into a vector DNA for improved activities in mammalian cells, are disclosed. This new luciferase exhibits long-wavelength light emission, as well as improved thermostability and higher expression levels in mammalian cell systems, compared to native luciferase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Marker Gene Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Daniel J. Coleman, John J. Naleway, Gabriele M. Cook
  • Patent number: 8206954
    Abstract: An L-amino acid is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an L-amino acid-producing ability and inherently has a native activity of a glucose dehydrogenase that uses pyrroloquinoline quinone as a coenzyme, but has been modified so that the activity of the glucose dehydrogenase is reduced, in a medium, and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Rie Takikawa, Yoshihiko Hara, Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8206959
    Abstract: The invention is related to processing enzyme comprising an N-terminally attached tag derived from highly basic proteins from thermophilic bacteria. The processing enzymes are useful for modifying proteins. They can be produced in high yields and can be effectively separated from the modified protein after use.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Novo Nordisk Health Care AG
    Inventor: Allan Christian Shaw
  • Patent number: 8206970
    Abstract: Methods for the fermentive production of four carbon alcohols are provided. Specifically, butanol, preferably 2-butanol is produced by the fermentive growth of a recombinant bacteria expressing a 2-butanol biosynthetic pathway. The recombinant microorganisms and methods of the invention can also be adapted to produce 2-butanone, an intermediate in the 2-butanol biosynthetic pathways disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Butamax(TM) Advanced Biofuels LLC
    Inventors: Andrew C. Eliot, Vasantha Nagarajan, Lixuan Lisa Huang
  • Patent number: 8206967
    Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for producing recombinant human thrombin using recombinant ecarin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: MedImmune Limited
    Inventors: Anna Harrysson, Ann Lövgren
  • Publication number: 20120159676
    Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide DNA of a glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme of a solanaceous plant (Solanaceae) such as a potato. The present invention relates to a protein having glycoalkaloid biosynthetic enzyme activity of a solanaceous plant such as a potato and a method for producing/detecting a novel organism using a gene encoding the protein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: KIRIN HOLDINGS KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoyuki Umemoto, Katsunori Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20120157326
    Abstract: The invention is in the field of nucleic acid amplification, hi particular, methods are described which utilise stem primers that improve the rapid and specific amplification of a test sample.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 15, 2010
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: Laurence Carlo Tisi, Olga Gandelmann, Guy Kiddle, Cathal Joseph McElgunn
  • Publication number: 20120159660
    Abstract: The amino acid and nucleic acid sequences of a ?5-desaturase enzyme and a ?8-desaturase enzyme are disclosed. The nucleic acid sequences can be used to design recombinant DNA constructs and vectors. These vectors can then be used to transform various organisms, including for example, plants and yeast. The transformed organisms will then produce polyunsaturated fatty acids. The amino acid sequences are useful for generating enzyme-specific antibodies that are useful for identifying the desaturases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2012
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Inventors: John A. Browse, James G. Wallis, Jennifer L. Watts
  • Publication number: 20120151630
    Abstract: The invention provides isolated and at least partially-purified dicamba-degrading enzymes, isolated DNA molecules coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, DNA constructs coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, transgenic host cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes, and transgenic plants and plant parts comprising one or more cells comprising DNA coding for dicamba-degrading enzymes. Expression of the dicamba-degrading enzymes results in the production of dicamba-degrading organisms, including dicamba-tolerant plants. Finally, the invention provides a method of selecting transformed plants and plant cells based on dicamba tolerance and a method of selecting or screening transformed host cells, intact organisms and parts of organisms based on the fluorescence of 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid produced as a result of dicamba degradation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: BOARD OF REGENTS OF UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA
    Inventors: Donald P. Weeks, Xiao-Zhuo Wang, Patricia L. Herman
  • Publication number: 20120149073
    Abstract: The disclosure relates to engineered ketoreductase polypeptides and processes of using the polypeptides for production of phenylephrine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 19, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: CODEXIS, INC.
    Inventors: Oscar Alvizo, Steven J. Collier, Joerg Hennemann, Seong Ho Oh, Wenjuan Zha
  • Patent number: RE43497
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for screening molecules and methods to detect protein-protein interactions and means used therein. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods for screening candidate drugs for treating or detecting MIF (macrophage migration inhibitor factor) related diseases. In certain aspects, the present invention involves detecting MIF/Jab1 (c-Jun activation domain binding protein) interactions as a basis for modulating cellular regulatory pathways and for identifying candidate drugs for MIF-related diseases. The invention also provides methods for the identification of molecules which dissociate or prevent interaction or binding between MIF and Jab1.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Forderung der Angewandten Forschung E.V.
    Inventors: Herwig Brunner, Jürgen Bernhagen, Robert Kleemann, Ralf Mischke, Afroditi Kapurniotu