How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills
A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented.
Original patent title: “Microorganisms having multiple compatible degradative energy-generating plasmids and preparation thereof”
A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented. Granted to General Electric Co in 1981 with 22 claims and 28 forward citations, and it is now in the public domain.
Key facts
Coverage
What does this patent actually cover?
The patent describes a method for creating bacteria from the genus Pseudomonas that contain multiple stable 'plasmids.' These plasmids act like genetic toolkits, each providing the bacteria with a specific pathway to break down different types of hydrocarbons found in crude oil. By combining these plasmids into a single cell, the bacteria can digest a wider variety of oil components than they could in nature. For example, a single bacterium can be engineered to simultaneously possess the genetic instructions to degrade camphor, octane, salicylate, and naphthalene.
The gap
What does this patent NOT cover?
- Does not cover naturally occurring bacteria that have not been genetically modified to contain multiple stable plasmids.
- Does not cover the degradation of non-hydrocarbon pollutants like heavy metals or plastics.
- Does not cover methods of oil cleanup that do not involve the use of these specific multi-plasmid Pseudomonas strains.
- Does not cover genetic engineering techniques applied to organisms outside the genus Pseudomonas.
These exclusions are unique to PatentBrief — derived from the actual claim language, not patent-office boilerplate.
What made this novel
The innovation was finding a way to make multiple, normally incompatible plasmids coexist stably within a single bacterial cell, essentially creating a 'super-eater' that doesn't discard its new genetic instructions.
The Patent Drawing
Schematic visualization of the patent's claim structure. Hand-drawn diagrams in progress for each landmark patent.
Where you've seen this
Real-world examples
Bioremediation agents for cleaning up oil spills in marine environments
Experimental oil-degrading bacterial cultures used in environmental cleanup research
Why it matters
The bigger picture
This patent is the foundation of modern biotechnology law. It led to the landmark Supreme Court case Diamond v. Chakrabarty, which ruled that a live, human-made micro-organism is patentable subject matter. This decision effectively opened the floodgates for the multi-billion dollar biotech industry by confirming that companies could own the rights to genetically modified life forms.
Filed
June 7, 1972
Granted
March 31, 1981
Market context
Who's building on this
Companies in this space
General Electric was the original assigneeassigneeThe entity that owns the patent — usually the inventor's employer or a company.Read more →, but the technology paved the way for modern synthetic biology companies like Ginkgo Bioworks and Amyris. These firms now use advanced CRISPR and metabolic engineering to design microbes for industrial applications far beyond simple oil degradation.
Market impact
This patent triggered a massive shift in intellectual property law, enabling the commercialization of genetic engineering. It transformed biotechnology from a purely academic field into a viable commercial industry by providing the legal certainty that investors needed to fund life-science startups.
Claim 1 — Plain English
What this patent covers
The patent describes a method for creating bacteria from the genus Pseudomonas that contain multiple stable 'plasmids.' These plasmids act like genetic toolkits, each providing the bacteria with a specific pathway to break down different types of hydrocarbons found in crude oil. By combining these plasmids into a single cell, the bacteria can digest a wider variety of oil components than they could in nature. For example, a single bacterium can be engineered to simultaneously possess the genetic instructions to degrade camphor, octane, salicylate, and naphthalene.
The clever bit
The innovation was finding a way to make multiple, normally incompatible plasmids coexist stably within a single bacterial cell, essentially creating a 'super-eater' that doesn't discard its new genetic instructions.
What it does not cover
- Does not cover naturally occurring bacteria that have not been genetically modified to contain multiple stable plasmids.
- Does not cover the degradation of non-hydrocarbon pollutants like heavy metals or plastics.
- Does not cover methods of oil cleanup that do not involve the use of these specific multi-plasmid Pseudomonas strains.
- Does not cover genetic engineering techniques applied to organisms outside the genus Pseudomonas.
Patent Journey
From filing to expiry
PatentBrief Score
Impact Score
Strong
Citation count
29/40
Moderately cited
Claim breadth
15/20
Broad claimsclaimsThe numbered statements at the end of a patent that legally define what the inventor owns.Read more →
Recency
0/20
Older than 20 years
Assignee scale
20/20
Major company or institution
PatentBrief Impact Score — based on citation count, claim breadth, recency, and assignee scale. Not a legal assessment.
Heuristic Value Estimate
What this patent might be worth
$23K – $75K
Midpoint $47K · expired or expiring · industry ×1.6
Heuristic only — blends forward/backward citation counts, claim scope, time remaining, litigation history, and CPC-derived industry baseline. Real valuations need a professional appraisal.
The original legal language
Original claims
22 claims as filed with the patent office.
Concepts involved
Citations
Patent lineage
Cite this patent
Chakrabarty, A. M. (1981). How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills (U.S. Patent No. 4,259,444). U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4259444/chakrabarty-genetically-modified-bacteria
Auto-generated from the patent record. Double-check author order and the issue date against the official USPTO document before submitting.
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Common Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What does How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills cover?
A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented.
Who owns patent US 4259444?
General Electric Co owns this patent, granted in 1981.
When does this patent expire?
This patent has expired and is now in the public domain — anyone can use the invention freely.
What is patent US 4259444 cited by?
This patent has been cited by 28 later patents that build on its ideas.
What problem does this patent solve?
This patent is the foundation of modern biotechnology law. It led to the landmark Supreme Court case Diamond v. Chakrabarty, which ruled that a live, human-made micro-organism is patentable subject matter. This decision effectively opened the floodgates for the multi-billion dollar biotech industry by confirming that companies could own the rights to genetically modified life forms.
What does this patent NOT cover?
Does not cover naturally occurring bacteria that have not been genetically modified to contain multiple stable plasmids.
Same assignee
More from General Electric Co
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