{
  "patent_number": "US 4259444",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Scientists Created Bacteria That Eat Oil Spills",
  "original_title": "Microorganisms having multiple compatible degradative energy-generating plasmids and preparation thereof",
  "summary": "A 1981 patent for genetically engineered bacteria capable of breaking down multiple types of oil, which became the first living organism ever patented.",
  "what_it_does": "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.",
  "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."
  ],
  "filed": "1972-06-07",
  "granted": "1981-03-31",
  "expires": "1998-03-31",
  "status": "expired",
  "holder": "General Electric Co",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/general-electric-co",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Ananda M. Chakrabarty",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/ananda-m-chakrabarty"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 28,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "energy"
  ],
  "abstract": "Unique microorganisms have been developed by the application of genetic engineering techniques. These microorganisms contain at least two stable (compatible) energy-generating plasmids, these plasmids specifying separate degradative pathways. The techniques for preparing such multi-plasmid strains from bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas are described. Living cultures of two strains of Pseudomonas (P. aeruginosa [NRRL B-5472] and P. putida [NRRL B-5473]) have been deposited with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Northern Marketing and Nutrient Research Division, Peoria, Ill. The P. aeruginosa NRRL B-5472 was derived from Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain 1c by the genetic transfer thereto, and containment therein, of camphor, octane, salicylate and naphthalene degradative pathways in the form of plasmids. The P. putida NRRL B-5473 was derived from Pseudomonas putida strain PpG1 by genetic transfer thereto, and containment therein, of camphor, salicylate and naphthalene degradative pathways and drug resistance factor RP-1, all in the form of plasmids.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4259444/chakrabarty-genetically-modified-bacteria",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4259444/chakrabarty-genetically-modified-bacteria/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US4259444",
  "relatedPatents": [
    {
      "patentNumber": "4237224",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Scientists First Made DNA Replicate in New Cells",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4237224/cohen-boyer-recombinant-dna"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "4356270",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How Scientists Taught Bacteria to Make Human Hormones",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4356270/recombinant-dna-cloning-genentech"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "4736866",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "Mice Engineered to Develop Cancer for Research",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4736866/harvard-oncomouse"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "4231938",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "The Discovery of Lovastatin for Lowering Cholesterol",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/4231938/statin-cholesterol-lovastatin"
    },
    {
      "patentNumber": "8697359",
      "countryCode": "US",
      "title": "How to Edit Genes in Human Cells Using an Engineered CRISPR System",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/8697359/crispr-gene-editing"
    }
  ]
}