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US 4,323,649 AGranted
Biotransformations using methane-utilizing bacteria
AssigneeImperial Chemical Industries PLC
InventorIrving J. Higgins
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process for the partial degradation of complex cyclicorganic compounds such as 1-phenylheptane and m-chlorotoluene using methane-utilizing microorganisms or enzyme extracts thereof containing the enzymes methane mono-oxygenase and/or a de-halogenase. The preferred microorganism is Methylosinus trichosporium strain OB3b (NCIB 11131).
Claims4
A process for the partial degradation of a complex organic compound
- selected from the group consisting of mono-alkyl benzenes having from 5 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl group and di-substituted lower alkyl benzenes having at least one halogen substituent,
- into at least one other oxidized and/or dehalogenated organic compound, said process comprising the step of contacting the complex organic compound with a methane-utilizing bacterium of a genus selected from the group consisting of Methylosinus, Methylocystis, Methylomonas, Methylococcus and Methylobacterium or with an extract thereof containing a methane mono-oxygenase and/or a de-halogenase enzyme under conditions suitable for enzymatically partially degrading the complex organic compound.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.