Biocatalyst Fusion Protein Reduces Cystine, WACKER CHEMIE AG
Summary
USPTO granted patent US12600995B2 to WACKER CHEMIE AG covering a fusion protein combining thioredoxin (EC 1.8.4.8 or EC 1.8.4.10) and thioredoxin reductase (EC 1.8.1.9) activities for the biocatalytic reduction of cystine to cysteine. The fusion protein, derived from E. coli thioredoxin 1 and thioredoxin reductase, achieves at least 100% activity compared to the equivalent unfused protein mixture. The patent contains 7 claims under CPC classifications including C12P 13/12 and C12N 9/0051.
What changed
USPTO granted patent US12600995B2 to WACKER CHEMIE AG covering a fusion protein combining thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase activities for biocatalytic cystine reduction. The patent discloses that the fusion protein achieves enzyme activity at least equal to or exceeding that of a mixture of unfused individual proteins, with the thioredoxin component derived from E. coli thioredoxin 1 and the reductase component from E. coli thioredoxin reductase.
Biotechnology companies developing enzyme systems for cysteine production or similar redox biocatalytic processes should review the patent claims to assess freedom-to-operate implications. The patent provides WACKER CHEMIE AG with enforceable intellectual property rights covering the fusion protein technology for approximately 20 years from the April 2020 filing date. Companies engaged in enzyme-catalyzed amino acid production or industrial biocatalysis should consider potential licensing arrangements or design-around strategies.
What to do next
- Review patent claims for freedom-to-operate implications
- Monitor for related patent filings in enzyme biocatalysis
- Consider licensing opportunities with WACKER CHEMIE AG
Archived snapshot
Apr 16, 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.
Biocatalyst as a core component of an enzyme-catalyzed redox system for the biocatalytic reduction of cystine
Grant US12600995B2 Kind: B2 Apr 14, 2026
Assignee
WACKER CHEMIE AG
Inventors
Carsten Bornhövd, Guido Jach, Ingrid Torres Monroy, Peter Welters
Abstract
An enzyme for reducing cystine to cysteine is a fusion protein that includes the protein activities of thioredoxin (protein i) having KEGG database number EC 1.8.4.8 or EC 1.8.4.10 and thioredoxin reductase (protein ii) having KEGG database number EC 1.8.1.9. The thioredoxin (protein i) is the protein activity of thioredoxin 1 from E. coli and the thioredoxin reductase (protein ii) is the protein activity of the thioredoxin reductase from E. coli. The activity of the fusion protein is at least 100% of the activity of a mixture of the same but unfused individual proteins i and ii. The fusion protein has the enzyme activity to reduce cystine to cysteine. The coding sequences (cds) responsible for the activity of protein i and ii has been fused.
CPC Classifications
C12P 13/12 C12N 9/0051 C12N 15/62 C12Y 108/01009 C12Y 108/0401 C12Y 108/04008 C07K 2319/00
Filing Date
2020-04-03
Application No.
17915538
Claims
7
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