Petrobras Granted Patent for Genetically Modified Microorganisms Producing Surfactant Proteins
Summary
The USPTO granted Patent US12606601B2 to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras on April 21, 2026, covering genetically modified microorganisms that heterologously produce modified versions of the surfactant protein Lv-ranaspumin-1 (Lv-Rsn-1), originally derived from the Northeastern Pepper Frog. The patent also claims the synthetic genes, expression cassettes, expression vectors, and specific transgenic bacteria and yeast strains. The surfactant protein has demonstrated properties including surfactancy, emulsification, and dispersancy, enabling industrial applications without natural extraction from frog nest foam.
“The present invention refers to the heterologous production in microorganisms of modified versions of a predicted isoform of the surfactant protein Lv-ranaspumin-1 (Lv-Rsn-1), whose sequence was inferred from analyzes of the protein extract of the nest foam from the Northeastern Pepper Frog (Leptodactylus vastus).”
What changed
USPTO issued Patent US12606601B2 to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras, covering two genetically modified microorganisms (a bacterium and a yeast), each transformed with a synthetic gene encoding a modified version of the predicted Lv-ranaspumin-1 isoform. The patent claims the surfactant proteins themselves, the synthetic genes encoding them, expression cassettes, and expression vectors. The Lv-Rsn-1 protein offers surfactancy, emulsification, and dispersancy properties for industrial applications, produced without extraction from frog nest foam.
Parties seeking to develop or commercialize microbial surfactant production systems, bioremediation technologies, or emulsification processes should conduct freedom-to-operate analyses given this patent's broad claims covering both the modified proteins and the engineered microorganisms producing them. The patent's assignee now holds exclusive rights to the specified modified Lv-Rsn-1 variants and the heterologous production method in the claimed host organisms.
Archived snapshot
Apr 21, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Genetically modified microorganisms that carry out the heterologous production of modified versions of the surfactant protein LV-ranaspumin-1(LV-RSN-1), the modified versions of said surfactant protein, the synthetic genes encoding said surfactant protein, the expression cassettes containing said synthetic genes, and the expression vectors containing said synthetic genes
Grant US12606601B2 Kind: B2 Apr 21, 2026
Assignee
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A.—Petrobras
Inventors
Vânia Maria Maciel Melo, Vinicius De Abreu Waldow, Danuza Nogueira Moyses, Denise Cavalcante Hissa, Maira Paula De Sousa
Abstract
The present invention refers to the heterologous production in microorganisms of modified versions of a predicted isoform of the surfactant protein Lv-ranaspumin-1 (Lv-Rsn-1), whose sequence was inferred from analyzes of the protein extract of the nest foam from the Northeastern Pepper Frog (Leptodactylus vastus). More specifically, it refers to two surfactant proteins that consist of modified versions of the predicted isoform of Lv-Rsn-1; to two synthetic genes each encoding one of these modified versions of the predicted isoform of Lv-Rsn-1; to two expression cassettes each containing one of the synthetic genes encoding one of the modified versions of the predicted isoform of Lv-Rsn-1; to two expression vectors each containing one of the synthetic genes encoding modified versions of the predicted isoform of Lv-Rsn-1; and to two transgenic microorganisms, a bacterium and a yeast, each transformed with one of these synthetic genes and heterologously producing one of the modified versions of the predicted isoform of Lv-Rsn-1. Lv-Rsn-1 has surfactancy, emulsification and dispersancy properties, among others, and its heterologous production allows it to be used in various applications and industrial products, without the need to extract it from the frog nest foam.
CPC Classifications
C07K 14/463 B08B 9/08 B08B 2209/08 C02F 3/344 C02F 2101/32 C02F 3/347 C12N 15/70 C12N 15/815
Filing Date
2020-12-14
Application No.
17785864
Claims
19
Mentioned entities
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