Produced By The Action Of A Carbohydrase (e.g., Maltose By The Action Of Alpha Amylase On Starch, Etc.) Patents (Class 435/99)
  • Publication number: 20120301927
    Abstract: Variants of a Pseudomonas saccharophila G4-forming amylase (PS4) advantageously can catalyze high temperature saccharification to produce maltotetraose syrup from a starch liquefact or granular starch, e.g., derived from cornstarch. The PS4 variants are useful in a process of saccharification of starch that advantageously produces significant amounts of maltotetraose, which can be used downstream in a process of producing a maltotetraose syrup. In one embodiment, a thermostable PS4 variant is provided that can produce about 40% to about 60% by weight maltotetraose, based on total saccharide content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2010
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: DANISCO US INC.
    Inventors: Gang Duan, Sung Ho Lee, Ying Qian, Rafael F. Sala, Jayarama Shetty
  • Publication number: 20120301563
    Abstract: Provided herein are methods of producing and processing a feedstock from a photosynthetic microorganism. Also provided are various transgenic photosynthetic microorganism and photobioreactors for use in the methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: PROTERRO, INC.
    Inventors: John Aikens, Robert J. Turner
  • Publication number: 20120301928
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of pretreating lignocellulosic biomass prior to hydrolysis, and, more particularly, to a method of pretreating lignocellulosic biomass prior to hydrolysis using wet milling in combination with popping, a method of manufacturing a sugar compound from the biomass pretreated using the method, and a method of manufacturing bioethanol from the biomass pretreated using the method. According to the present invention, energy consumption can be reduced, lignocellulosic biomass can be easily pretreated in an environment-friendly manner without treating chemicals, and the efficiency of hydrolyzing lignocellulosic biomass can be remarkably improved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: INDUSTRY FOUNDATION OF CHONNAM NATIONAL UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Hyeun Jong Bae, Seung Gon Wi, Han Ki Shin
  • Publication number: 20120301930
    Abstract: The present invention relates to bio-engineered multi-enzyme complexes having synergistic enzyme activity comprising xylanases and optionally further comprising additional carbohydrate active enzymes. Such complexes are advantageous for degrading recalcitrant cellulosic biomass.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 15, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: YEDA RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CO. LTD.
    Inventors: Edward A. Bayer, Yoav Barak, Sarah Morais
  • Publication number: 20120295308
    Abstract: Provided is a modified Family 1 carbohydrate binding module (CBM) comprising amino acid substitutions at one or more of positions 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 21, 24, 29, 31, 33, and 37, said position determined from alignment of a Family 1 CBM amino acid sequence with SEQ ID NO: 30, and exhibiting from about 50% to about 99.9% amino acid sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 30. Also provided are modified glycosidase enzymes comprising the modified Family 1 CBM, genetic constructs and genetically modified microbes for expressing the modified Family 1 CBM or modified glycosidase enzyme. The modified Family 1 CBM confers reduced lignin binding and/or increased hydrolysing activity in the presence of lignin to the modified glycosidase enzyme, which may be used in a process for hydrolysing cellulose or hemicellulose in the presence of lignin.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 11, 2011
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: IOGEN ENEGY CORPORATION
    Inventors: John J. Tomashek, Brian R. Scott, Daniel Kolczynski
  • Publication number: 20120294978
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid enzyme comprising carbohydrate-binding module amino acid sequence and a fungal alpha-amylase amino acid sequence and to a variant of a fungal wild type enzyme comprising a carbohydrate-binding module and an alpha-amylase catalytic module. The invention also relates to the use of the hybrid enzyme or the variant in starch liquefaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 19, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicants: NOVOZYMES NORTH AMERICA, INC., NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Hiroaki Udagawa, Rikako Taira, Shinobu Takagi, Carsten Hjort, Anders Vikso-Nielson, Eric Allain, Shiro Fukuyama, Tomoko Matsui
  • Publication number: 20120288900
    Abstract: A method of producing corn starch by enzymatic process involving: soaking the corn; crushing the corn, separating and washing embryo; fine grinding; washing and drying fiber; separating and drying protein; washing, dewatering and drying the starch. An enzyme preparation is added before the step of washing, dewatering and drying the starch; the enzyme preparation is cellulose, or xylanase, or combination of the cellulose and the xylanase; and addition of the enzyme preparation is from 0.001% to 0.08% by weight of the corn. Based on the technology of traditional wet process, the method of the present invention comprises a step of adding enzyme preparation in the process of separating the corn, which improves the effect and the efficiency of mechanical separation, and further improves the purity and yield of the substance separated while also reducing the energy consumption.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Applicant: Baiyin Sino Biotechnology Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Xinmin He, Feng Yu, Shuangjing Wang, Qiang Cui, Weiguo Sun
  • Patent number: 8309331
    Abstract: The various embodiments of the present invention relate generally to compositions, systems, and methods for altering rates of catalysis. More particularly, the various embodiments of the present invention are directed toward compositions, systems, and methods for enzymatic hydrolysis of polysaccharides, such as cellulose and starch. An aspect of the present invention comprises a method for altering the rate of conversion of a substrate into a product comprising: providing a substrate in a carrier; mixing a reactant and a co-factor with the carrier to form a substantially homogeneous mixture of the reactant, the co-factor, and the substrate in the carrier; and reacting the reactant with the substrate in the presence of the co- factor to convert at least a portion of the substrate into the product, wherein the reaction rate of the reactant with the substrate in the presence of the co-factor is different than the reaction rate of the reactant with the substrate in the absence of the co-factor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Georgia Tech Research Corporation
    Inventors: Sujit Banerjee, John T. Reye
  • Publication number: 20120282658
    Abstract: The present invention relates to variants of a parent alpha-amylase. The present invention also relates to polynucleotides encoding the variants and to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides, and methods of using the variant enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicants: NOVOZYMES NORTH AMERICA, INC., NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Andersen, Randall Deinhammer, Thomas Agersten Poulsen, Miguel Duarte Toscano, Peter Kamp Hansen, Henrik Friis-Madsen, Anders Viksoe-Nielsen, Signe Eskildsen Larsen, Lars L.H. Christensen
  • Publication number: 20120276595
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to cellulase variants. In particular the present disclosure relates to cellulase variants having reduced binding to non-cellulosic materials. Also described are nucleic acids encoding the cellulase, compositions comprising said cellulase, methods of identifying cellulose variants and methods of using the compositions.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: DANISCO US INC.
    Inventors: Luis G. Cascao-Pereira, Thijs Kaper, Bradley R. Kelemen, Amy D. Liu
  • Publication number: 20120276567
    Abstract: The invention relates to a Talaromyces transformant comprising one or more recombinant gene, capable of producing cellulase in the absence of cellulase inducer in a glucose medium, having a cellulase activity of 2 WSU/ml or more, in 16 times or more diluted supernatant or broth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 4, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: DSM IP ASSETS B.V.
    Inventors: Alrik Pieter Los, Brenda Vonk, Marco Alexander Berg Van Den, Robbertus Antonius Damveld, Cornelis Maria Jacobus Sagt, Adrianus Wilhelmus Hermanus Vollebregt, Margot Elisabeth Francoise Schooneveld-Bergmans
  • Publication number: 20120276585
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a hydrolysate of from lignocellulose-containing material, comprising pre-treatment with low temperature, hydrolysis and fermentation, wherein hydrolysis is performed by contacting the lignocellulose-containing material with an enzyme composition comprising at least 10% xylanase enzyme protein w/w%.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicants: COFCO CORPORATION, NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Haiyu Ren, Dongmin Li, Yun Wang, Chuanji Fang, Hong Zhi Huang
  • Publication number: 20120276594
    Abstract: The present invention relates to cellobiohydrolase variants having improved thermostability and/or thermoactivity in comparison to wild-type Myceliophthora thermophila CBH2b.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 27, 2012
    Publication date: November 1, 2012
    Applicant: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Rama Voladri, Xiyun Zhang, Sachin Patil, David Elgart, Gregory Miller, Louis Clark, Kui Chan
  • Patent number: 8298795
    Abstract: The invention provides recombinant GH61 proteins obtained from Myceliophtora thermophila, and nucleic acids that encode such proteins. The invention also provides protein fractions isolated from M. thermophila supernatant that have GH61 protein activity. These preparations can be used to increase yield of products from reactions in which a cellulose-containing substrate undergoes saccharification by one or more cellulase enzymes, such as endoglucanase, ?-glucosidase, or cellobiohydrolase. Combinations of GH61 protein and cellulases can be used to break down cellulosic biomass into fermentable sugars in the production of ethanol.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Louis Clark, Onorato Campopiano, Kripa Rao, Lorand Szabo, Janos Torok, Dipnath Baidyaroy
  • Patent number: 8298796
    Abstract: A method for producing glucose from a lignocellulosic feedstock is provided. The method comprises pretreating the lignocellulosic feedstock with acid to produce a pretreated feedstock composition. A calcium-containing stream is provided that comprises calcium that is obtained from the lignocellulosic feedstock and a calcium carbonate-containing stream is obtained by precipitation of the calcium from the calcium-containing stream. The pH of the pretreated feedstock is adjusted with (a) the calcium carbonate-containing stream; (b) a calcium hydroxide-containing stream that is derived from said calcium carbonate-containing stream by subjecting said calcium carbonate-containing stream to calcination; or (c) a combination of the calcium carbonate-containing stream and the calcium hydroxide-containing stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey S. Tolan, Brian Foody
  • Publication number: 20120270267
    Abstract: The present invention relates to alpha-amylase variants, polynucleotides encoding the variants and nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides, and methods of using the variant enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Andersen, Thomas Agersten Poulsen
  • Publication number: 20120270276
    Abstract: Provided is a method for producing saccharides containing glucose as the main components which can increase the generated amount of saccharides containing glucose as the main components even when an enzymatic saccharification reaction is performed with a small amount of enzyme. A method for producing saccharides containing glucose as the main components is provided which includes mixing biomass containing cellulose and/or hemicellulose and an aqueous enzyme solution, and then performing an enzymatic saccharification reaction with an enzyme contained in the aqueous enzyme solution while maintaining the state where the mixture of the biomass containing cellulose and/or hemicellulose and the aqueous enzyme solution is allowed to stand still in a reaction vessel.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 9, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicant: JGC Corporation
    Inventors: Daisuke Taneda, Yoshiki Ueno
  • Publication number: 20120270275
    Abstract: The present invention provides processes, inter alia, for the treatment of a starch-based feedstock. The processes include mixing together a starch-based feedstock and a working fluid to form a slurry, hydrating the starch-based feedstock with the working fluid, adding an enzyme to the slurry, pumping the slurry into a substantially constant diameter passage of a fluid mover, and injecting a high velocity transport fluid into the slurry through one or more nozzles communicating with the passage, thereby further hydrating and heating the starch-based feedstock and dispersing the starch content of the slurry. Apparatuses for carrying out such processes are also provided. Processes for converting starch in feedstocks into oligosaccharides and systems for producing sugars and ethanol using the processes and apparatuses of the invention are also provided. Processes for calculating ethanol yield using the apparatuses are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Inventors: Marcus Brian Mayhall FENTON, Tsz Hang Emily HO, Robert SCOTT, Pete THOMPSON
  • Publication number: 20120270277
    Abstract: The invention relates to a biomass process comprising split dosage of the cellulose hydrolysing enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2010
    Publication date: October 25, 2012
    Applicants: COFTCO CORPORATION, NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Wang Han, Dongmin Li, Mengmeng Liu
  • Publication number: 20120264176
    Abstract: The present invention relates to alpha-amylases, nucleic acids encoding the alpha-amylases, methods of producing the alpha-amylases, and methods of using the alpha-amylases.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Andersen, Thomas Agersten Poulsen
  • Publication number: 20120264171
    Abstract: The present invention relates to variants of a parent alpha-amylase, the variant having improved stability or activity at low calcium conditions or at low pH.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventor: Carsten Andersen
  • Publication number: 20120266328
    Abstract: The invention is directed to polypeptides having any cellulolytic activity, e.g., a cellulase activity, e.g., endoglucanase, cellobiohydrolase, beta-glucosidase, xylanase, mannanse, ?-xylosidase, arabinofuranosidase, and/or oligomerase activity, including thermostable and thermotolerant activity, and polynucleotides encoding these enzymes, and making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. The polypeptides of the invention can be used in a variety of pharmaceutical, agricultural, food and feed processing and industrial contexts. The invention also provides compositions or products of manufacture comprising mixtures of enzymes comprising at least one enzyme of this invention.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 20, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Applicant: BP CORPORATION NORTH AMERICA INC.
    Inventors: KEVIN A. GRAY, LISHAN ZHAO, MICHELLE H. CAYOUETTE
  • Publication number: 20120258497
    Abstract: The present invention relates to alpha-amylase variants, polynucleotides encoding the variants and nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides, and methods of using the variant enzymes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2011
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicants: NOVOZYMES NORTH AMERICA, INC., NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Carsten Andersen, Thomas Agersten Poulsen
  • Publication number: 20120258503
    Abstract: Methods for consolidated pretreatment and hydrolysis of genetically engineered plants expressing cell wall degrading enzymes are provided. Expression cassettes and vectors for making transgenic plants are described. Plants engineered to express one or more cell wall degrading enzymes using expression cassettes and vectors of the invention are also provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 7, 2012
    Publication date: October 11, 2012
    Applicant: AGRIVIDA, INC.
    Inventors: R. Michael Raab, Dongcheng Zhang, Oleg Bougri
  • Publication number: 20120252073
    Abstract: A method of decomposing stubble, which is crop residue left on the ground, and a composition for treating the stubble are disclosed. The method comprises treating the stubble with the composition comprising a) polysaccharide-degrading enzyme; b) wetting agent; and, optionally, c) water and allowing the treated stubble to remain on the ground and decompose.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 28, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Applicant: RHODIA OPERATIONS
    Inventors: Jean-Christophe Castaing, Gary Groves, Ashwin Rao, Thomas E. Ruch
  • Publication number: 20120244579
    Abstract: A monosaccharide production method of producing a monosaccharide from a lignocellulosic raw material comprising: obtaining a saccharified liquid obtained from a lignocellulosic raw material and a saccharification enzyme; recovering the saccharification enzyme from the saccharified liquid by allowing the saccharification enzyme to be adsorbed on the lignocellulosic raw material; and saccharifying the lignocellulosic raw material using the recovered saccharification enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2010
    Publication date: September 27, 2012
    Inventors: Kazuya Matsumoto, Masami Osabe, Ryota Fujii, Seiichi Watanabe, Ayako Endo, Sakurako Kimura, Tadashi Araki, Akira Nakayama
  • Publication number: 20120237981
    Abstract: In one aspect, the invention is directed to polypeptides having an amylase activity, polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides, and methods for making and using these polynucleotides and polypeptides. In one aspect, the polypeptides of the invention can be used as amylases, for example, alpha amylases, to catalyze the hydrolysis of starch into sugars. In one aspect, the invention provides delayed release compositions comprising a desired ingredient coated by a latex polymer coating.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: VERENIUM CORPORATION
    Inventors: WALTER CALLEN, TOBY RICHARDSON, GERHARD FREY, KEVIN GRAY, JANNE S. KEROVUO, MALGORZATA SLUPSKA, NELSON BARTON, EILEEN O'DONOGHUE, CARL MILLER
  • Publication number: 20120237983
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing glucose from a lignocellulosic feedstock. The method comprises the steps of (i) providing a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock slurry; (ii) moving the pretreated feedstock slurry through a pipe, which slurry has an undissolved solids content of between about 15 and about 30 wt %; (iii) adding cellulase enzyme to the pretreated slurry to produce a slurry comprising cellulase enzyme; (iv) dispersing the cellulase enzyme added in step (iii) in the pretreated slurry by using a high shear in-line mixing device, thereby producing a pretreated slurry comprising dispersed cellulase enzyme; and thereafter (v) subjecting the pretreated slurry comprising dispersed cellulase enzyme to hydrolysis so as to produce glucose from cellulose contained therein.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 29, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: IOGEN ENERGY CORPORATION
    Inventor: Peter J.E. Harlick
  • Publication number: 20120237979
    Abstract: The present invention relates to isolated polypeptides having cellulolytic enhancing activity and isolated polynucleotides encoding the polypeptides. The invention also relates to nucleic acid constructs, vectors, and host cells comprising the polynucleotides as well as methods of producing and using the polypeptides.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: NOVOZYMES A/S
    Inventors: Junxin Duan, Kirk Matthew Schnorr, Wenping Wu
  • Publication number: 20120237984
    Abstract: Biomass (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) is processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials, to produce ethanol and/or butanol, e.g., by fermentation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2012
    Publication date: September 20, 2012
    Applicant: XYLECO, INC.
    Inventor: Marshall MEDOFF
  • Publication number: 20120231510
    Abstract: The invention relates to a multi-cellulase enzyme composition for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulosic biomass said composition comprising a cellobiohydrolase (CBH) enzyme, an endoglucanase (EG) enzyme and a ?-glucosidase (BG) enzyme.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2010
    Publication date: September 13, 2012
    Applicant: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Kripa Rao, Ish Dhawan, Sally Postlethwaite, Jie Yang
  • Patent number: 8263368
    Abstract: The invention relates to a novel Termamyl-like alpha-amylase, and Termamyl-like alpha-amylases comprising mutations in two, three, four, five or six regions/positions. The variants have increased thermostability at acidic pH and/or at low Ca2+ concentrations (relative to the parent).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Novozymes A/S
    Inventors: Allan Svendsen, Torben Vedel Borchert, Henrik Bisgard-Frantzen, Helle Outtrup, Bjarne Ronfeldt Nielsen, Vibeke Skovgaard Nielsen, Lisbeth Hedegaard
  • Patent number: 8263381
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hybrid enzyme comprising carbohydrate-binding module amino acid sequence and a fungal alpha-amylase amino acid sequence and to a variant of a fungal wild type enzyme comprising a carbohydrate-binding module and an alpha-amylase catalytic module. The invention also relates to the use of the hybrid enzyme or the variant in starch liquefaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignees: Novozyms A/S, Novozymes North America, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroaki Udagawa, Rikako Taira, Shinobu Takagi, Carsten Hjort, Anders Vikso-Nielsen, Eric Allain, Shiro Fukuyama, Tomoko Matsui
  • Publication number: 20120214210
    Abstract: To produce cellulase having excellent ability to decompose cellulosic resources containing xylan at low cost. A method for producing ?-glucanase and xylanase, comprising the step of culturing a microorganism classified under the genus Trichoderma by using a liquid culture medium which contains (a) wheat bran as a carbon source and (b) ammonia nitrogen or amino nitrogen as a nitrogen source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Applicant: Asahi Group Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazuro Fukuda
  • Publication number: 20120214752
    Abstract: Glucosyl stevia compositions are prepared from steviol glycosides of Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni. The glucosylation was performed by cyclodextrin glucanotransferase using the starch as source of glucose residues. The short-chain glucosyl stevia compositions were purified to >95% content of total steviol glycosides. The compositions can be used as sweetness enhancers, flavor enhancers and sweeteners in foods, beverages, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 23, 2012
    Inventor: Avetik MARKOSYAN
  • Publication number: 20120202253
    Abstract: A biorefinery process to fractionate lignocellulosic materials into cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin using a pretreatment with mixture of alcohol, sulfur dioxide and water. Further treatment with enzymes, micro-organisms, and optionally bisulfite ion, are used to convert intermediate products to alcohol and lignin derivatives.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 7, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: API Intellectual Property Holdings, LLC
    Inventors: Theodora Retsina, Vesa Pylkkanen
  • Publication number: 20120202254
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing lactic acid from plant biomass without requiring sterilization, and specifically relates to a method for producing lactic acid comprising culturing alkaliphilic lactic acid bacteria under non-sterile condition and at a pH of 9 to 11 in a medium containing a cellulose glycosylation solution and then further culturing the bacteria at a pH of 5 to 9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Applicant: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ADVANCED INDUSTRIAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Isao Yumoto, Kazuaki Yoshimune
  • Publication number: 20120202252
    Abstract: A method for recycling cellulase enzymes. Also provided is a method for producing fermentable carbohydrates, plant leaf protein, and lignin, by adding a cellulase enzyme complex expressed from and on irradiated cellulase complex-producing organisms with sufficient radiation to kill biological activity without destroying all cellulase enzyme complex activity to biomass. The fermentable carbohydrates produced by the method. Also provided are irradiated cellulase-producing organisms for use in converting biomass to fermentable sugars, plant leaf protein, and lignin. A method for producing cellulase enzymes for glucose and other sugar production and protein and lignin extraction by irradiating cellulase-producing organisms, thereby producing the cellulase enzymes is also provided. A system for producing fermentable carbohydrates, plant protein, and lignin, said system comprising irradiated cellulase-producing organisms and biomass is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 15, 2012
    Publication date: August 9, 2012
    Inventor: Earnest Stuart
  • Patent number: 8236536
    Abstract: Dissolution, partial dissolution or softening of cellulose in an ionic liquid (IL) and its subsequent contact with anti-solvent produces regenerated cellulose more amorphous in structure than native cellulose, which can be separated from the IL/anti-solvent mixture by mechanical means such as simple filtration or centrifugation. This altered morphology of IL-treated cellulose allows a greater number of sites for enzyme adsorption with a subsequent enhancement of its saccharification. The IL-treated cellulose exhibits significantly improved hydrolysis kinetics with optically transparent solutions formed after about two hours of reaction. This provides an opportunity for separation of products from the catalyst (enzyme) easing enzyme recovery. With an appropriate selection of enzymes, initial hydrolysis rates for IL-treated cellulose were up to two orders of magnitude greater than those of untreated cellulose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: The University of Toledo
    Inventors: Sasidhar Varanasi, Constance Ann Schall, Anantharam Prasad Dadi
  • Publication number: 20120196332
    Abstract: Method for extracting oils, proteins and fermentable sugars from vegetable material in an aqueous medium, includes: a) adding water to the vegetable material; b) adding an enzyme mixture containing at least one cellulase, at least one hemicellulase, and at least one pectinase, the ratio between the pectinase activity and the cellulase activity being at least 0.14, and the ratio between the pectinase activity and the hemicellulase activity being at least 7.10?3, the pectinase activity being less than 120 ?mol/min/mL; c) incubating the vegetable material and the enzyme mixture with stirring to release oils, proteins and fermentable sugars in the reaction medium; d) separating the reaction medium to obtain free oil, an aqueous phase containing proteins and fermentable sugars, and a solid phase; e) optionally separating and recycling an emulsion of free oil or aqueous phase, to the medium; f) separating the proteins and fermentable sugars from the aqueous phase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 14, 2010
    Publication date: August 2, 2012
    Applicant: UNIVERSITE DE LORRAINE
    Inventors: Lionel Muniglia, Michel Girardin, Bernadette Piffaut, Guillaume Ricochon
  • Publication number: 20120190075
    Abstract: This invention relates to polypeptides, more specifically amylase polypeptides and nucleic acids encoding these, and their uses e.g. as non-maltogenic exoamylases in producing food or feed products.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2011
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Inventors: Karsten Matthias Kragh, Anja Hemmingsen Kellet-Smith, René Mikkelsen, Rie Mejldal, Rikke L. Bundgaard Jenner
  • Publication number: 20120190076
    Abstract: The invention relates to expression of a recombinant C1 ?-glucosidase. The invention also provides methods for producing a fermentable sugar from cellobiose by contacting celiobiose with a recombinant host cell comprising a polynucleotide sequence encoding C1 ?-glucosidase, operably linked to heterologous promoter, under conditions in which ?-glucosidase is expressed and secreted by the cell and the cellobiose is enzymatically converted by said ?-glucosidase to glucose. 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: September 30, 2010
    Publication date: July 26, 2012
    Applicant: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Clark, Dipnath Baidyaroy, Lorand Szabo
  • Publication number: 20120178132
    Abstract: The present invention relates to variant endoglucanases and particularly endoglucanases having improved properties over wild-type endoglucanase.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Publication date: July 12, 2012
    Applicant: Codexis, Inc.
    Inventors: Jie Yang, Andrew Shaw, Ish Kumar Dhawan, Onorato Campopiano, Kripa Rao
  • Publication number: 20120171732
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for production of fermentation products, including bioethanol by non-pressurised pre-treatment, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation of waste fractions containing mono- and/or polysaccharides, having a relatively high dry matter content. The process in its entirety, i.e. from non-pressurised pre-treatment over enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation to sorting of fermentable and non-fermentable solids can be processed at a relatively high dry matter content in a single vessel or similar device using free fall mixing for the mechanical processing of the waste fraction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2012
    Publication date: July 5, 2012
    Applicant: REnescience
    Inventors: Nanna Dreyer Nørholm, Jan Larsen, Frank Krogh Iversen
  • Publication number: 20120164694
    Abstract: A method of producing saccharides containing glucose as the major constituent by degrading at least one selected from the group consisting of cellulose and hemicellulose with a cellulose saccharifying enzyme is provided. The method includes the steps of: mixing a cellulose material and a solution containing cellulose saccharifying enzyme to prepare a mixture; and saccharifying the cellulose material with the saccharifying enzyme. A gross energy density Y (W/m3) subjected to the mixture and a substrate concentration X (w/v%) of the cellulose material to the enzyme solution satisfy a formula (1) below during the step of saccharifying. Y??0.0125X2+1.195X+23.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: JGC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Daisuke Taneda, Makoto Ikeo
  • Publication number: 20120164695
    Abstract: Presently provided are variant glucoamylases displaying altered properties, such as improved thermostability and/or specific activity. Also disclosed are DNA sequences coding for the variants, vectors and host cells incorporating the DNA sequence, enzyme compositions, and methods of using the variants in various applications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: June 28, 2012
    Applicant: DANISCO US INC.
    Inventors: Wolfgang Aehle, Richard R. Bott, Martijn Silvan Scheffers, Casper Vroeman
  • Patent number: 8206966
    Abstract: Disclosed are compositions comprising variants of alpha-amylase that have alpha-amylase activity and which exhibit altered properties relative to a parent AmyS-like alpha-amylase from which they are derived. The compositions comprise an additional enzyme such as a phytase. Also disclosed are methods of using the compositions, and kits related thereto.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Danisco US Inc.
    Inventors: Luis G. Cascāo-Pereira, James T. Kellis, Jr., Bradley A. Paulson, Scott D. Power, Sandra W. Ramer, Vivek Sharma, Andrew Shaw, Jayarama K. Shetty, Donald E. Ward
  • Publication number: 20120156733
    Abstract: Described are variants of a parent ?-amylase that exhibits an alteration in at least one of the following properties relative to said parent ?-amylase: specific activity, substrate specificity, substrate binding, substrate cleavage, thermal stability, pH-dependent activity, pH-dependent stability, oxidative stability, Ca2+ dependency, pI, and wash performance. The variants are suitable for starch conversion, ethanol production, laundry washing, dish washing, hard surface cleaning, textile desizing, and/or sweetener production.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: June 21, 2012
    Applicant: DANISCO US INC.
    Inventors: William A. Cuevas, Sang-Kyu Lee, Sandra W. Ramer, Andrew Shaw, Amr R. Toppozada, David A. Estell, Sura Hadi
  • Patent number: 8202709
    Abstract: A process for the enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose to produce a hydrolysis product comprising glucose from a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock and enzymes for use in the process are provided. The process comprises partially hydrolyzing an aqueous slurry of a pretreated lignocellulosic feedstock with cellulase enzymes, one or more than one ?-glucosidase enzyme and a binding agent for binding the ?-glucosidase enzyme to fiber solids present in the aqueous slurry. The unhydrolyzed fiber solids are then separated from the hydrolyzed slurry. The separated fiber solids thus obtained are then re-suspended in an aqueous solution to produce a re-suspended slurry. The hydrolysis is then continued to produce the hydrolysis product comprising glucose.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Iogen Energy Corporation
    Inventors: Jeffrey Tolan, Theresa White, John Tomashek
  • Publication number: 20120148706
    Abstract: By combination of hydrophobic chromatography and strongly basic anion-exchange chromatography, a novel, highly hydrophobic ?-glucosidase was successfully identified from Acremonium cellulolyticus. Further, a gene corresponding to the identified ?-glucosidase was isolated. When multiple modifications were introduced into the base sequence of the gene, the gene was successfully expressed in Trichoderma viride at a high level, and the expression product successfully exhibited a high ?-glucosidase activity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2010
    Publication date: June 14, 2012
    Applicant: MEIJI SEIKA PHARMA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Fumikazu Yokoyama, Kengo Yokoyama, Nobuko Mazuka