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US6140072A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Functional recombinantly prepared synthetic protein polymer

Assignee: Protein Polymer Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1995-06-07
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Granted: 2000-10-31
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Expires: 2015-06-07
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Abstract

Abstract Novel polymers are provided which are produced by recombinant techniques. The polymers are characterized by having a small repeating sequence which provides for strands capable of associating, resulting in useful structural characteristics, where the strands are joined by turns or loops which are flexible and available for interaction with the environment. Specifically, repeating groups of naturally occurring proteins such as silk are modified by introduction of an amino-acid sequence at a site which provides for a turn between strands to provide for readily available oligopeptides capable of interacting with molecules in the environment.

Inventors

  • 👤 Franco A. Ferrari
  • 👤 Joseph Cappello

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-25 18:20
CPC Classifications
A; A61; A61L; A61L17/00; A61L29/00; A61L29/04; A61L29/049; C; C07; C07K; C07K14/00; C07K14/435; C07K14/43504; C07K14/43563; C07K14/43586; C07K14/78; C07K17/00; C07K17/02; C07K17/08; C12; C12N; C12N1/00; C12N1/06; C12N15/00; C12N15/09; C12N15/11; C12N15/62; C12N15/63; C12N15/66; C12N15/70; C12N15/74; C12N15/75; C12N5/00; C12N5/0068; C07K2319/00; C07K2319/01; C07K2319/02; C07K2319/33; C07K2319/61; C12N2533/00; C12N2533/30; C12N2533/50; C12N2533/52; G; G03; G03C; G03C1/00; G03C1/005; G03C1/04; G03C1/047

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 63 words
A DNA sequence encoding a proteinaceous polymer comprising strands of repeating units of a natural protein capable of assembling into aligned structures to be formable into articles, with at least two strands joined by an intervening oligopeptide other than said repeating units, wherein said intervening oligopeptide is characterized by being unaligned, said polymer has individual strands of the same or different repeating units.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 63 words
A DNA sequence encoding a proteinaceous polymer comprising strands of repeating units of a natural protein capable of assembling into aligned structures to be formable into articles, with at least two strands joined by an intervening oligopeptide other than said repeating units, wherein said intervening oligopeptide is characterized by being unaligned, said polymer has individual strands of the same or different repeating units.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 48 words
A DNA sequence according to claim 1, wherein said repeating units are from about 3 to 30 amino acids, said strands are from about 25 to 150 amino acids, and said intervening oligopeptide is between each of said strands and is from about 4 to 50 amino acids.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 55 words
A DNA sequence according to claim 1, wherein said repeating units have the sequence GAGAGS (SEQ ID NO:119), VPGVG (SEQ ID NO:2), KL(1)LAEA (SEQ ID NO:9) where 1 is a basic or acidic amino acid and the sequence alternates, or at least one of GPP and GAP or combinations of multimers of said repeating units.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 58 words
A DNA sequence according to claim 1, wherein said intervening oligopeptide includes the amino acid sequence RGD, DP, EP, DPGKGXY (SEQ ID NO:12), wherein at least one of X and Y is C, EPGYIGSRCDAGY (SEQ ID NO:13), PKGDRGDAGPK (SEQ ID NO:14), or AVTGRGDSPAS (SEQ ID NO:15), where conservative substitutions may be made at other than the functional site.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 14 words
A vector comprising a replication system and a DNA sequence according to claim 1.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 14 words
A vector according to claim 5, wherein said replication system is a prokaryotic system.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 18 words
A prokaryotic cell comprising a vector comprising a replication system and a DNA sequence according to claim 1.
Claim 9
Independent Claim 96 words
A method for producing a proteinaceous polymer comprising strands of repeating units of a natural protein capable of assembling into aligned structures to be formable into articles, with at least two strands joined by an intervening oligopeptide other than said repeating units, wherein said intervening oligopeptide is characterized by being unaligned, said method comprising: growing in an appropriate nutrient medium a prokaryotic cell comprising a vector comprising a replication system functional in said prokaryotic cell and a gene capable of expression in said prokaryotic cell and encoding said proteinaceous polymer, whereby said proteinaceous polymer is expressed.
Claim 10
Independent Claim 96 words
A method for producing a proteinaceous polymer comprising strands of repeating units of a natural protein capable of assembling into aligned structures to be formable into articles, with at least two strands joined by an intervening oligopeptide other than said repeating units, wherein said intervening oligopeptide is characterized by being unaligned, said method comprising: growing in an appropriate nutrient medium a prokaryotic cell comprising a vector comprising a replication system functional in said prokaryotic cell and a gene capable of expression in said prokaryotic cell and encoding said proteinaceous polymer, whereby said proteinaceous polymer is expressed.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4132746A Cited
US4187852A Cited
US4474851A Cited
US4500700A Cited
US4589882A Cited
GB2162190A Cited
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2003-10-31 2004-05-01 2004-10-31 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2007-10-31 2008-05-01 2008-10-31 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2011-10-31 2012-05-01 2012-10-31 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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