US4910145A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Separation process
Assignee: Yield10 Bioscience Inc
•
Filing: 1989-06-30
•
Granted: 1990-03-20
•
Expires: 2009-06-30
Abstract
Abstract An aqueous suspension of micro-organism cells containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer are subjected to a proteolytic enzyme digestion and/or a surfactant digestion in order to solubilise cell material other than the 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer. Prior to, or during the digestion, but before any proteolytic enzyme digestion step, the suspension is heated to at least 80 DEG C. to denature nucleic acids which otherwise hinder separation of the 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer containing residue from the suspension.
Inventors
- 👤 Paul A. Holmes
- 👤 Guan B. Lim
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 02:13
CPC Classifications
C; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/06; C12P; C12P7/00; C12P7/62; C12P7/625; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S435/00; Y10S435/8215; Y10S435/822; Y10S435/829; Y10S435/874
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
113 words
A process for the removal of non 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer cell material from bacterial microorganism cells containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer comprising the steps of: (a) heating an aqueous suspension of said cells to a temperature above 80° C. so that said cells are lysed and digesting said lysed cells with at least one solubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of a proteolytic enzyme composition and a surfactant whereby said non-hydroxybutyrate polymer cell material in said cells is solubilized, wherein when said solubilizing agent is said proteolytic enzyme said heating takes place only prior to digestion; and (b) separating a water insoluble residue containing said 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer from a solution resulting from step (a).
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
A process for the removal of non 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer cell material from bacterial microorganism cells containing a 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer comprising the steps of: (a) heating an aqueous suspension of said cells to a temperature above 80° C. so that said cells are lysed and digesting said lysed cells with at least one solubilizing agent selected from the group consisting of a proteolytic enzyme composition and a surfactant whereby said non-hydroxybutyrate polymer cell material in said cells is solubilized, wherein when said solubilizing agent is said proteolytic enzyme said heating takes place only prior to digestion; and (b) separating a water insoluble residue containing said 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer from a solution resulting from step (a).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein said digesting step includes at least one stage wherein the solubilising agent is a proteolytic enzyme composition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the suspension is heated to a temperature of at least 100° C. prior to the proteolytic enzyme digestion stage.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the digesting step includes at least one stage wherein the solubilising agent is a surfactant, the surfactant digestion being effected after digestion with the proteolytic enzyme.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the digesting step includes at least one stage wherein the solubilising agent is a phospholipase.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 2 wherein the enzyme digestion is effected at a temperature below 80° C.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the digesting step includes at least one stage wherein the solubilising agent is a surfactant and the surfactant digestion is effected at a temperature of at least 80° C.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein at least one digestion stage the solubilising agent is a surfactant in admixture with ethylene diamine tetra-acetic acid.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein after the digesting step, the residue is treted with hydrogen peroxide.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
A process according to claim 1 wherein the separated insoluble residue comprises at least 90% by weight of 3-hydroxybutyrate polymer and at least 1% by weight of peptidoglycan.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
BE659731A
Cited
US3275610A
Cited
FR2273067A1
Cited
US3928642A
Cited
US4138291A
Cited
EP0046017A2
Cited
US4358583A
Cited
EP0046335A2
Cited
EP0061250A2
Cited
EP0078556A1
Cited
EP0114086A2
Cited
US4562245A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1993-03-19 | 1993-09-18 | 1994-03-20 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1997-03-19 | 1997-09-18 | 1998-03-20 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2001-03-19 | 2001-09-18 | 2002-03-20 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |