{
  "patent_number": "US 7750134",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "Isolating Microbial Proteins That Regulate Cellular Protein Stability",
  "original_title": "Nucleic acids encoding microbial SUMO protease homologs",
  "summary": "This patent identifies specific genetic sequences from microbes that produce proteins capable of modifying SUMO, a key molecule that controls how other proteins behave inside cells.",
  "what_it_does": "The patent claims the specific genetic code (nucleic acid molecule) that instructs a cell to build a protein containing a SUMO-specific protease-like (SSP) domain. These proteins act like molecular scissors, cutting SUMO proteins away from other proteins to regulate their function or lifespan. By isolating these sequences, researchers can insert them into vectors—small vehicles used to deliver DNA—and introduce them into bacterial, yeast, or mammalian cells to study how these microbial enzymes affect cell health or disease.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover naturally occurring SUMO proteases found in humans or other animals.",
    "Does not cover the general concept of protein modification, only the specific sequences identified as SEQ ID NO:27.",
    "Does not cover diagnostic methods that do not utilize the specific SSP domain sequences defined in the claims."
  ],
  "filed": "2002-11-20",
  "granted": "2010-07-06",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/sanford-burnham-prebys-medical-discovery-institute",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "John C. Reed",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/john-c-reed"
    },
    {
      "name": "Adam Godzik",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/adam-godzik"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 6,
  "tags": [
    "biotech",
    "pharmaceutical"
  ],
  "abstract": "The invention provides isolated SUMO-specific protease-like (or “SSP”) domain-containing polypeptides from microorganisms, including bacteria, protozoans and yeast, including Escherichia, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Chlamydia, Plasmodium, Trypanosma, Mesorhizobium, Rickettsia, Cryptosporidium and Candida species. The invention further provides modifications of such polypeptides, functional fragments therefrom, encoding nucleic acid molecules and specific antibodies. Also provided are methods for identifying polypeptides and compounds that associate with or modulate the activity of the SSP domain-containing polypeptides. Further provided are methods of modulating a biological activity in a cell, and treating pathological conditions, using the described nucleic acid molecules, polypeptides and compounds.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7750134/imbruvica-ibrutinib",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/7750134/imbruvica-ibrutinib/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US7750134",
  "relatedPatents": []
}