The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 28, 2000
Filed:
Feb. 10, 1999
Patrick J Oriel, Midland, MI (US);
Rugmini Padmakumar, East Lansing, MI (US);
Sang Hoon Kim, Okemos, MI (US);
Board of Trustees operating Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI (US);
Abstract
A process for the bioconversion of a nitrile to its corresponding amide product, particularly acrylonitrile to acrylamide which is used for forming polymers. The process uses a thermophilic bacterium having a nitrile hydratase activity that is constitutively expressed, activated by cobalt ions, stable at 60.degree. C., and is most active between 20.degree. C. to 70.degree. C. with optimum activity at 55.degree. C. Alternatively, the process uses the enzyme extracted from the thermophilic bacterium to convert a nitrile to its amide product. The genes encoding nitrile hydratase and amidase are described in which the former is useful for the conversion of an nitrile to its amide and the later is useful for the conversion of an amide to its acid.