IP Library Granted Patent US 11,453,895
Granted Patent B1
US 11,453,895 · App. 16/838,340 · Granted Sep 27, 2022

Engineered hosts with exogenous ligninase and uses thereof

Inventors: Seema Singh (Tracy, CA); Arul Mozhy Varman (Tempe, AZ)
Assignee: National Technology & Engineering Solutions of Sandia, LLC
C12P7/10C07G1/00C08H6/00C12N9/0061C12N9/0065C12Y110/03002C12Y111/01016
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,453,895
App. No.
16/838,340
Granted
Sep 27, 2022
Kind
B1
Abstract

The present invention relates to methods and engineered microbial hosts useful for treating lignin or a derivative thereof. In some embodiments, the host has one or more exogenous nucleic acid sequences that encode a ligninase (e.g., a laccase and/or a peroxidase).

Claims (35)

1. An engineered Bacillus host comprising one or more exogenous nucleic acid sequences, wherein at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes a fungal laccase and a fungal peroxidase;

wherein the laccase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4, 10, and 11;

wherein the peroxidase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 20-25; and

wherein the at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes the peroxidase in a sequence that is codon-optimized for the host.

2. The host of claim 1 , wherein the peroxidase is a versatile peroxidase.

3. The host of claim 1 , wherein the at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes the laccase and the peroxidase in a sequence that is codon-optimized for the host.

4. The host of claim 1 , wherein the laccase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 97% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4, 10, and 11.

5. The host of claim 1 , wherein the peroxidase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 97% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs:20-25.

6. A method of treating lignin or a derivative thereof, the method comprising:

providing an engineered microbial host comprising one or more exogenous nucleic acid sequences, wherein at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes a laccase and a peroxidase; and

introducing the engineered microbial host to a source comprising lignin or a derivative thereof at a pH of from about 4 to 5;

wherein the laccase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4, 10, and 11;

wherein the peroxidase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 20-25;

wherein the host is a member of the genus Bacillus ; and

wherein the at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes the peroxidase in a sequence that is codon-optimized for the host.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the laccase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 97% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4, 10, and 11.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the peroxidase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 97% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs:20-25.

9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the host is a Bacillus subtilis bacterium.

10. The method of claim 6 , wherein the one or more exogenous nucleic acid sequences is provided as an expression vector.

11. The method of claim 6 , wherein the pH is 4 to 5.

12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the source comprises a media comprising a citric acid buffer.

13. The method of claim 6 , wherein the source comprises lignin.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the source comprises one or more˜-O-4 linkages.

15. The method of claim 6 , wherein the peroxidase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NOs: 20-25.

16. The method of claim 6 , wherein the laccase comprises an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 1-4, 10, and 11.

17. A method of treating lignin, the method comprising:

providing an engineered microbial host comprising one or more exogenous nucleic acid sequences, wherein at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes a laccase and/or a peroxidase; and

introducing the engineered microbial host to a source comprising lignin at a pH of from about 4 to about 6;

wherein the source comprises a media comprising a citric acid buffer;

wherein the host is a member of the genus Bacillus;

wherein the at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes at least the peroxidase, the peroxidase comprising an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence identity to one of SEQ ID NOs: 20-25; and

wherein the at least one exogenous nucleic acid sequence encodes the peroxidase in a sequence that is codon-optimized for the host.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the source comprises corn liquefied corn meal, corn steep liquor, corn stover, or corn fiber.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the peroxidase is one of SEQ ID NOs: 20-25.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the pH is about 4 to 5.

Assignments (2)
CONFIRMATORY LICENSE Recorded Jul 14, 2020
From: NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS OF SANDIA, LLC
To: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Reel/Frame 053203/0715 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 13, 2020
From: SINGH, SEEMA; VARMAN, ARUL MOZHY
To: NATIONAL TECHNOLOGY & ENGINEERING SOLUTIONS OF SANDIA, LLC
Reel/Frame 053189/0274 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 62829182 · Apr 4, 2019