- Email: [email protected]
Patent Reports
Enzyme and Microbial Technology 44 (2009) 57–58
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Enzyme and Microbial Technology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/emt
Patent reports
Enzymes Highly active xylose reductase from Neurospora crassa Zhao, et al. University of Illinois (Urbana, IL) United States Patent 7,381,553; June 3, 2008 A new xylose reductase encoding gene from Neurospora crassa was heterologously expressed in E. coli as a His-tag fusion protein and subsequently purified in high yield. This xylose reductase was shown to have a high turnover rate and catalytic efficiency, high stability at room temperature, broad pH profile, and a preference of NADPH over NADH. This enzyme is utilized in production of xylitol and other sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and also in the metabolic enhancement of organisms used for fermentation of plant biomass into ethanol. Bacteria Compositions and methods for bacterial immunity and secretion of proteins Mecsas, et al. Tufts University (Boston, MA) United States Patent 7,381,557; June 3, 2008 Attenuated strains of Gram-negative bacteria carrying a mutation in one or more ysc genes or homologs, and methods of use for immunization against infection with a pathogenic strain and for delivery of a therapeutic agent. Methods and compositions to detect bacteria using multiplex PCR Tsang, et al. Tzam Diagnostics, LLC (Wilmette, IL) United States Patent 7,381,547; June 3, 2008 Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays for detecting a bacteria (e.g. Helicobacter pylori) in a specimen use multiple oligonucleotide primer pairs based on the sequences of multiple loci of the bacteria. In one application, up to five loci in the genomic DNA sequences of Helicobacter pylori were amplified. Two fragments of H. pylori were amplified from each locus, wherein a second fragment was an internal fragment of the first fragment. Plants Process for producing non-cellulosic callose fiber by plant protoplast and callose fiber Kondou, et al. Japan Science and Technology Corporation (Saitama, Japan), National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (Ibaraki, Japan), and Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (Ibaraki, Japan) United States Patent 7,374,938; May 20, 2008
A method for producing non-cellulosic callose fiber by using plant protoplast, which imposes less burden to the environment with reduced energy consumption compared to conventional natural fibers is provided; it comprises the addition of an inorganic ion to a plant protoplast cultivation system, which leads the plant protoplast to produce non-cellulosic callose fiber. Pharmaceuticals Use of inhibitors of glutaminyl cyclases for treatment and prevention of disease Demuth, et al. Probiodrug AG (Halle Saale, Germany) United States Patent 7,381,537; June 3, 2008 Physiological substrates of mammalian glutaminyl cyclase (QC, EC 2.3.2.5), new effectors of QC, methods for screening for such effectors, and the use of such effectors and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such effectors for the treatment of conditions that can be treated by modulation of QC-activity. Preferred compositions additionally comprise inhibitors of DP IV or DP IV-like enzymes for the treatment or alleviation of conditions that can be treated by modulation of QC- and DP IV-activity. Receptors Nucleic acids encoding estrogen receptor ligand binding domain variants Bracken, et al. Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) United States Patent 7,381,813; June 3, 2008 Mutants of steroid receptor ligand binding domains and synthetic ligands which have specific binding affinities for these receptors. The use of these LBD–ligand combinations for construction of selective “molecular gene switches” is disclosed. Methods of regulating gene function using these switches are provided. Mammalian cells Compositions and methods for inhibiting angiogenesis Papathanassiu Ergon Pharmaceuticals LLC (Washington, DC) United States Patent 7,381,799; June 3, 2008 A treatment for mammalian diseases characterized by pathological angiogenesis. The treatment consists of administering therapeutically active dosages of peptides containing specific amino acid sequences or antibodies that bind to cell membrane antigens on the surface of rapidly dividing endothelial cells.
Richard S. Parr ∗ , BIOTECH Patent News, P.O. Box 4482, Metuchen, NJ 08840, United States, Tel.: +1 732 549 1356; fax: +1 732 549 1356. E-mail address: [email protected] (R.S. Parr) 0141-0229/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.enzmictec.2008.08.005
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R.S. Parr / Enzyme and Microbial Technology 44 (2009) 57–58
Anti-TECK antibodies and methods of use therefor Andrew, et al. Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA) United States Patent 7,381,412; June 3, 2008 Antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof which binds the chemokine mammalian TECK and inhibit binding of the chemokine to mammalian GPR-9-6. The invention also relates to host cells that produce such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments, kits comprising such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments and methods of use for such antibodies and antigen-binding fragments. Proteins Nucleic acid that encodes a fusion protein Gilbert, et al. National Research Council of Canada (Ottawa, Canada) United States Patent 7,381,544; June 3, 2008 Fusion polypeptides that include a glycosyltransferase catalytic domain and a catalytic domain from an accessory enzyme that is involved in making a substrate for a glycosyltransferase reaction. Nucleic acids that encode the fusion polypeptides are also provided, as are host cells for expressing the fusion polypeptides of the invention. Recombinant protein and method of screening for agents that modulate polypeptide aggregation Cheng, et al.
National Yang-Ming University (Taiwan) United States Patent 7,375,190; May 20, 2008 Recombinant protein comprising formula as follows: A–B wherein A is polypeptide containing glutamine-rich domain comprising 8–200 glutamine residues and B is color-alteration enzyme modulated by the domain. This invention also provides an expressing vector and a cell produced therefrom. This invention further provides a method and a kit for screening a therapeutic agent for a neurodegenerative disease. Ricin-like toxin variants for treatment of cancer, viral or parasitic infections Borgford Twinstrand Therapeutics, Inc. (Vancouver, Canada) United States Patent 7,375,186; May 20, 2008 A protein having an A chain of a ricin-like toxin, a B chain of a ricin-like toxin and a heterologous linker amino acid sequence, linking the A and B chains. The linker sequence contains a cleavage recognition site for a disease specific protease such as a cancer, fungal, viral or parasitic protease. The invention also relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding the protein and to expression vectors incorporating the nucleic acid molecule. Also provided is a method of inhibiting or destroying mammalian cancer cells, cells infected with a virus, a fungus, or parasite; or parasites utilizing the nucleic acid molecules and proteins of the invention and pharmaceutical compositions for treating human cancer, viral infection, fungal infection, or parasitic infection.
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Enzyme and Microbial Technology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/emt
Patent reports
Enzymes Highly active xylose reductase from Neurospora crassa Zhao, et al. University of Illinois (Urbana, IL) United States Patent 7,381,553; June 3, 2008 A new xylose reductase encoding gene from Neurospora crassa was heterologously expressed in E. coli as a His-tag fusion protein and subsequently purified in high yield. This xylose reductase was shown to have a high turnover rate and catalytic efficiency, high stability at room temperature, broad pH profile, and a preference of NADPH over NADH. This enzyme is utilized in production of xylitol and other sugar alcohols such as sorbitol and also in the metabolic enhancement of organisms used for fermentation of plant biomass into ethanol. Bacteria Compositions and methods for bacterial immunity and secretion of proteins Mecsas, et al. Tufts University (Boston, MA) United States Patent 7,381,557; June 3, 2008 Attenuated strains of Gram-negative bacteria carrying a mutation in one or more ysc genes or homologs, and methods of use for immunization against infection with a pathogenic strain and for delivery of a therapeutic agent. Methods and compositions to detect bacteria using multiplex PCR Tsang, et al. Tzam Diagnostics, LLC (Wilmette, IL) United States Patent 7,381,547; June 3, 2008 Multiplex polymerase chain reaction assays for detecting a bacteria (e.g. Helicobacter pylori) in a specimen use multiple oligonucleotide primer pairs based on the sequences of multiple loci of the bacteria. In one application, up to five loci in the genomic DNA sequences of Helicobacter pylori were amplified. Two fragments of H. pylori were amplified from each locus, wherein a second fragment was an internal fragment of the first fragment. Plants Process for producing non-cellulosic callose fiber by plant protoplast and callose fiber Kondou, et al. Japan Science and Technology Corporation (Saitama, Japan), National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences (Ibaraki, Japan), and Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (Ibaraki, Japan) United States Patent 7,374,938; May 20, 2008
A method for producing non-cellulosic callose fiber by using plant protoplast, which imposes less burden to the environment with reduced energy consumption compared to conventional natural fibers is provided; it comprises the addition of an inorganic ion to a plant protoplast cultivation system, which leads the plant protoplast to produce non-cellulosic callose fiber. Pharmaceuticals Use of inhibitors of glutaminyl cyclases for treatment and prevention of disease Demuth, et al. Probiodrug AG (Halle Saale, Germany) United States Patent 7,381,537; June 3, 2008 Physiological substrates of mammalian glutaminyl cyclase (QC, EC 2.3.2.5), new effectors of QC, methods for screening for such effectors, and the use of such effectors and pharmaceutical compositions comprising such effectors for the treatment of conditions that can be treated by modulation of QC-activity. Preferred compositions additionally comprise inhibitors of DP IV or DP IV-like enzymes for the treatment or alleviation of conditions that can be treated by modulation of QC- and DP IV-activity. Receptors Nucleic acids encoding estrogen receptor ligand binding domain variants Bracken, et al. Novartis AG (Basel, Switzerland) United States Patent 7,381,813; June 3, 2008 Mutants of steroid receptor ligand binding domains and synthetic ligands which have specific binding affinities for these receptors. The use of these LBD–ligand combinations for construction of selective “molecular gene switches” is disclosed. Methods of regulating gene function using these switches are provided. Mammalian cells Compositions and methods for inhibiting angiogenesis Papathanassiu Ergon Pharmaceuticals LLC (Washington, DC) United States Patent 7,381,799; June 3, 2008 A treatment for mammalian diseases characterized by pathological angiogenesis. The treatment consists of administering therapeutically active dosages of peptides containing specific amino acid sequences or antibodies that bind to cell membrane antigens on the surface of rapidly dividing endothelial cells.
Richard S. Parr ∗ , BIOTECH Patent News, P.O. Box 4482, Metuchen, NJ 08840, United States, Tel.: +1 732 549 1356; fax: +1 732 549 1356. E-mail address: [email protected] (R.S. Parr) 0141-0229/$ – see front matter doi:10.1016/j.enzmictec.2008.08.005
58
R.S. Parr / Enzyme and Microbial Technology 44 (2009) 57–58
Anti-TECK antibodies and methods of use therefor Andrew, et al. Millennium Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Cambridge, MA) United States Patent 7,381,412; June 3, 2008 Antibodies or antigen-binding fragments thereof which binds the chemokine mammalian TECK and inhibit binding of the chemokine to mammalian GPR-9-6. The invention also relates to host cells that produce such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments, kits comprising such antibodies or antigen-binding fragments and methods of use for such antibodies and antigen-binding fragments. Proteins Nucleic acid that encodes a fusion protein Gilbert, et al. National Research Council of Canada (Ottawa, Canada) United States Patent 7,381,544; June 3, 2008 Fusion polypeptides that include a glycosyltransferase catalytic domain and a catalytic domain from an accessory enzyme that is involved in making a substrate for a glycosyltransferase reaction. Nucleic acids that encode the fusion polypeptides are also provided, as are host cells for expressing the fusion polypeptides of the invention. Recombinant protein and method of screening for agents that modulate polypeptide aggregation Cheng, et al.
National Yang-Ming University (Taiwan) United States Patent 7,375,190; May 20, 2008 Recombinant protein comprising formula as follows: A–B wherein A is polypeptide containing glutamine-rich domain comprising 8–200 glutamine residues and B is color-alteration enzyme modulated by the domain. This invention also provides an expressing vector and a cell produced therefrom. This invention further provides a method and a kit for screening a therapeutic agent for a neurodegenerative disease. Ricin-like toxin variants for treatment of cancer, viral or parasitic infections Borgford Twinstrand Therapeutics, Inc. (Vancouver, Canada) United States Patent 7,375,186; May 20, 2008 A protein having an A chain of a ricin-like toxin, a B chain of a ricin-like toxin and a heterologous linker amino acid sequence, linking the A and B chains. The linker sequence contains a cleavage recognition site for a disease specific protease such as a cancer, fungal, viral or parasitic protease. The invention also relates to a nucleic acid molecule encoding the protein and to expression vectors incorporating the nucleic acid molecule. Also provided is a method of inhibiting or destroying mammalian cancer cells, cells infected with a virus, a fungus, or parasite; or parasites utilizing the nucleic acid molecules and proteins of the invention and pharmaceutical compositions for treating human cancer, viral infection, fungal infection, or parasitic infection.