IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,509,707
Granted Patent B2
US 12,509,707 · App. 18/741,273 · Granted Dec 30, 2025

Methods for organic acid production

Inventors: Paul Blum (Monterey, CA); Sambasiva Rao Chigurupati (Omaha, NE); Derrick Jermaine White (Lincoln, NE)
Assignee: S&P Ingredient Development, LLC
C12P7/52C12N1/205C12R2001/02C12R2001/145C12R2001/225
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,509,707
App. No.
18/741,273
Granted
Dec 30, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Microbial cell lines suitable for industrial-scale production of organic acids and methods of making and isolating such cell lines, and using the cell lines for production of organic acids.

Claims (11)

1 . A method of producing an organic acid selected from propionic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, or combinations thereof, the method comprising:

providing a P. acidipropionici cell comprising one or more loss of function mutations in genes encoding DUF1116 domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:26 and M18 family aminopeptidase comprising the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO: 24; and

culturing the cell in a culture medium.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the culture medium is maintained at a pH of from about 5.5-7.5.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the culture medium is maintained at a pH of from about 6.0-7.0.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein said culturing is carried out at about 30° C. for about 60 to about 120 hours.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the P. acidipropionici cell further comprises one or more additional mutations in a gene encoding O-antigen ligase domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:9; adenine glycosylase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19; amino acid permease comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17; class I SAM-dependent methyltransferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, MFS transporter comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, LemA family protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, Flavin reductase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, MFS transporter comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, glycosyl transferase family 1 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, O-antigen ligase domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, penicillin-binding protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11, phosphotransferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, alpha/beta hydrolase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:13, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, gfo/Idh/MocA family oxidoreductase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15, alpha/beta hydrolase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, multifunctional oxoglutarate decarboxylase/oxoglutarate dehydrogenase thiamine pyrophosphate-binding subunit/dihydrolipoyllysine-residue succinyltransferase subunit comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21, amino acid permease comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23, ATPase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25, glycosyl transferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:27, acetyl-Co A carboxylase biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:28, and penicillin-binding protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the P. acidipropionici cell comprises a loss of function mutation in each of the genes encoding the proteins DUF1116 domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:26, M18 family aminopeptidase comprising the amino acid sequence SEQ ID NO:24, O-antigen ligase domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:9, adenine glycosylase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:19, amino acid permease comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:17, class I SAM-dependent methyltransferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, MFS transporter comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, LemA family protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 3, Flavin reductase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 4, comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, MFS transporter comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 6, glycosyl transferase family 1 comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 8, O-antigen ligase domain-containing protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 10, penicillin-binding protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 11, phosphotransferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 12, alpha/beta hydrolase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:14, gfo/Idh/MocA family oxidoreductase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 15, alpha/beta hydrolase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 16, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 20, multifunctional oxoglutarate decarboxylase/oxoglutarate dehydrogenase thiamine pyrophosphate-binding subunit/dihydrolipoyllysine-residue succinyltransferase subunit comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:21, amino acid permease comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:22, protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 23, ATPase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:25, glycosyl transferase comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:27, acetyl-Co A carboxylase biotin carboxyl carrier protein subunit comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:28, and penicillin-binding protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:29.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the P. acidipropionici cell is the P. acidipropionici cell deposited in the American Type Culture Collection under Accession Number ATCC PTA-125895.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the organic acid is propionic acid.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the amount of organic acid produced by the method after 60 hours of culturing is at least 15% higher as compared to the amount of organic acid produced under the same conditions using wild-type P. acidipropionici.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 5, 2025
From: S&P INGREDIENT DEVELOPMENT, LLC
To: J&K INGREDIENTS, LLC
Reel/Frame 072784/0953 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 29, 2025
From: J&K INGREDIENTS, LLC
To: KEYBANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 072976/0566 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 9, 2024
From: BLUM, PAUL; CHIGURUPATI, SAMBASIVA RAO; WHITE, DERRICK JERMAINE
To: S&P INGREDIENT DEVELOPMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 069520/0236 →
Continuity (5)
Division 18188061 · Mar 22, 2023
Division 17073977 · Oct 19, 2020
Continuation 16443554 · Jun 17, 2019
Provisional Application 62686463 · Jun 18, 2018
Related Publication 20240327879A1 · Oct 3, 2024
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