Method for oxidizing hydrocarbons with a hydroxylase from a methane monooxygenase
US5192672A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 21, 1991 |
| Grant date | Mar 9, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 21, 2011 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC C)Chemistry; Metallurgy
- CPC primaryC12Y114/13025
- WIPO fieldBiotechnology
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A purified hydroxylase component of the soluble methane monooxygenase enzyme present in the bacterium Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b is found capable of oxidizing hydrocarbons under aerobic conditions in the presence of suitable reducing agents. The hydroxylase can be reduced by commercial reducing agents, such as sodium dithionite and photo- and electrochemical means when in the presence of electron transport components, such as methyl viologen and proflavin. The hydroxylase can also be activated by hydrogen peroxide in the absence of reducing agents and molecular oxygen and is capable of oxidizing hydrocarbons under aerobic and anaerobic conditions in this manner. The hydroxylase component can be obtained with high final specific activity when ferrous iron compounds and cysteine are included in the purification buffers used to extract the hydroxylase from bacterial cells.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.