Laccases and uses thereof

Bibliographic Details
Title: Laccases and uses thereof
Patent Number: 9,068,161
Publication Date: June 30, 2015
Appl. No: 13/884103
Application Filed: November 08, 2011
Abstract: The present invention relates to novel enzymes and the uses thereof. The invention also relates to methods of producing such enzymes, coding nucleic acid molecules, recombinant cells and methods of modifying biomass from such materials. The invention is particularly suited to degrade biomass and/or to improve biomass degradation. The invention also relates to various applications of the enzymes of the invention for the production of bioenergy (such as bioethanol), as well as in the field of chemistry, paper industry, textile industry and beverage industry.
Inventors: Leonetti, Jean-Paul (Castelnau-le-Lez, FR); Claverie, Jean-Michel (Cassis, FR); Chabot, Nicolas (Montpellier, FR)
Assignees: DEINOVE (Grabels, FR)
Claim: 1. A heterologous recombinant host cell transformed or transfected with a nucleic acid encoding a laccase wherein said laccase comprises all or a biologically active part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4.
Claim: 2. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein said laccase is active at a temperature of 30° C. or more and/or which is active in a range of pH from 3.5 to 9.
Claim: 3. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein said laccase catalyzes biomass modification.
Claim: 4. The host cell of claim 3 , wherein said laccase catalyzes lignin degradation or hydrolysis.
Claim: 5. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein said laccase comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.
Claim: 6. An isolated nucleic acid encoding a laccase wherein said laccase comprises all or a biologically active part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4 linked to a heterologous promoter.
Claim: 7. A vector comprising a nucleic acid of claim 6 .
Claim: 8. The host cell of claim 1 , which is a Deinococcus or a related bacterium.
Claim: 9. A method for modifying biomass, comprising exposing such biomass to a polypeptide host cell of claim 1 .
Claim: 10. A method for producing metabolites or bioenergy products, comprising exposing a carbon source to a laccase host cell of claim 1 .
Claim: 11. A method for wood delignification and/or pulp bleaching, comprising exposing a wood pulp or paper to a host cell of claim 1 .
Claim: 12. The host cell according to claim 1 , wherein said nucleic acid is linked to a heterologous promoter.
Claim: 13. The host cell of claim 1 , wherein said laccase comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2.
Claim: 14. A cell extract of the host cell according to claim 1 , said extract exhibiting a laccase activity.
Claim: 15. A method for modifying biomass, comprising exposing such biomass to a cell extract of claim 14 .
Claim: 16. A method for producing metabolites or bioenergy products, comprising exposing a carbon source to a cell extract of claim 14 .
Claim: 17. A method for wood delignification and/or pulp bleaching, comprising exposing a wood pulp or paper to a cell extract of claim 14 .
Claim: 18. A recombinant cell transformed or transfected with a nucleic acid encoding a laccase, wherein said laccase comprises all or a biologically active part of the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 or 4 and wherein said nucleic acid is linked to a heterologous promoter.
Patent References Cited: 2009 017796 January 2009
WO 2009/063079 May 2009
WO 2009/149027 December 2009
WO 2010/006228 January 2010
WO 2010/042842 April 2010


Other References: Database Accession No. AWC86649, “Thermus thermophiles laccase protein, SEQ ID 1.” Apr. 2, 2009, p. 1, XP-002666105. cited by applicant
Miyazaki, K. “A hyperthermophilic laccase from Thermus thermophilus HB27” Extremophiles, 2005, pp. 415-425, vol. 9. cited by applicant
Dwivedi, U. N. et al. “Structure-function relationship among bacterial, fungal an dplant laccases” Journal of Molecular Catalysis B: Enzymatic, 2011, pp. 117-128, vol. 68. cited by applicant
Primary Examiner: Noakes, Suzanne M
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Saliwanchik, Lloyd & Eisenschenk
Accession Number: edspgr.09068161
Database: USPTO Patent Grants
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Language:English