Microorganisms patentability

PERM acronym derived from the former name of the Fermentation Research Institute (FRI), in Japan, which later became the Patent Microorganism Depository of the National Institute of Bioscience and Human Technology (NIBH). As previously mentioned, the Budapest Treaty requires deposition of the biological material subject to a patent application. In Japan and some other countries, an applicant for a patent concerning a microorganism has to submit a receipt of that deposition to the Patent Office at filing. The depository checks viability and would furnish a sample of the microorganism to a third party only for study and research, under the established rules of the treaty. 

Chloramphenicol may be prepared by fermentation or by chemical synthesis. The fermentation route to chloramphenicol is described in U.S. Patents 2,4B3,B71 and 2,4B3,B92. To quote from U.S. Patent 2,4B3,B92 The cultivation of Streptomyces venezuelae may be carried out in a number of different ways. For example, the microorganism may be cultivated under aerobic conditions on the surface of the medium, or it may be cultivated beneath the surface of the medium, i.e., in the submerged condition, if oxygen is simultaneously supplied. 

Patent literature reports on the analogous resolutions of phosphinotricin using, among others, penicillin G-acylase, penicillin G-amidase, subtilisin or microorganisms such as Enterobacter aerogenes, Klebsiella oxytoca, Corynebac-terium sp., Rhodococcus rubropertinctus and others7°... 

G. T. Sperl and P. L. Sperl. Enhanced oil recovery using denitrifying microorganisms. Patent US 5044435, 1991. 

In summary (Table 1), the 10 IGT-owned patents (corresponding to eight inventions) employ biocatalysts based on R. rhodochrous strain ATCC No. 53968 and on B. sphaericus strain ATCC No. 53969 and their possible mutants and derivatives, including cell membranes, cell extracts, and enzymes from those microorganisms. 

EP0441462 26 A culture of mutant R. rhodochrous strain ATCC No. 53968, derivative microorganisms and its use in DS WC European patent equivalent to US5104801 [51]... 

The Japanese cooperating organizations also disclosed several other microorganisms in their awarded patents. The reports include strains of Corynebacterium (T09 and T04 strains) [115], Gordona [116], Bacillus [117], Sphingomonas, Agrobacterium, and Arthrobacter [118]. 

Sublette [285] describes a process for desulfurizing sour natural gas using another commonly known chemolithotrophic microorganism, the aerobic bacterium T. denitrifi-cans. This patent describes a process wherein bacteria of the Thiobacillus genus convert sulfides to sulfates under aerobic conditions. Sublette defined the ideal characteristics of a suitable microorganism for the oxidative H2S removal from gaseous streams as ... 

Most of the known microorganisms to be active for BDS (by the date that patent [408] was introduced), were considered in this invention. Furthermore, their mutational or engineered derivatives, enzymes, cell-free extracts, recombinant enzymes, recombinant DNA, plasmids, vectors, and fragments were also incorporated in the intellectual property document. The mentioned operating conditions regard ambient temperature, mechanical agitation and a 1 9 biocatalyst/petroleum ratio. 

Kilbane II, J. J., Mutant microorganisms useful for cleavage of organic C-S bonds. Patent No. EP0441462. 1991, Aug. 14. (Also published as US5104801). 

Ishii, Y. Okumura, K. Kobayashi, M., and Suzuki, M., Microorganism capable of degrading alkylated heterocyclic sulfur compound Patent No. JP11009293. 1999, Jan. 19. 

Yoshikawa, O. Kishimoto, M. Okumura, K., et al., Method for Culturing Microorganism having Ability in Desulfurization. Patent No. JP2001186875. 2001, July 10. 

Kurane, R., and Tsubata, T., Method for obtaining organic solvent-resistant, microorganisms and organic solvent-resistant microorganisms obtainable by the method. Patent No. US5804435. 1998, Sep. 08. 

Isbister, J. D., and Doyle, R. C. A novel mutant microorganism and its use in removing organic sulfur compounds. Patent No. US4562156. 

Matsui, T., and Maruhashi, K., High-Quality Desulfurization Method by Using Recombinant Microorganism. Patent No. JP2004113117. 2004, April 15. 

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