Recent Patents on Biotechnology - Volume 12, Issue 4, 2018

Background: Ecotins are serine protease inhibitors which are generally found in the periplasmic compartment. These inhibitors act on a wide range of serine proteases with different efficiencies. Actually, only few Ecotins were studied, and the main characterized proteins were derived from Escherichia coli. Functional studies of this latter protein allowed the development of numerous patents related to Ecotin relevant biotechnological applications. Objective: This review aims to give an update on the relevant Ecotins already described and to provide a concise overview concerning the relevant patented applications of these serine protease inhibitors. Method: In this review, we focus on the analysis of Ecotin diversity and their distribution using Pfam protein data base. Moreover, we report a detailed overview regarding the biotechnological applications of the Ecotins based on all patents associated to Ecotins and their biotechnological applications searched in European Patent Office (Espacenet), United States Patent and National Patent Collections (WIPO) patents databases. Results: On the basis of this analysis, we demonstrate that Ecotins are mostly present in bacteria. Study of Ecotin sequences and their biochemical properties reveals that they are a small serine protease inhibitor group. The high stability and specificity of Ecotins promote their biotechnological uses in several fields. The original structural organization of Ecotin-protease complexes and their flexibility lead to several patented applications. Conclusion: This review showed that Ecotins have many attractive biotechnological applications. Potential of Ecotins needs to be more investigated seeing the limited available data related to this protein family. Thus, further functional analyses will promote the use of Ecotins.

Background: The waterborne or airborne radon causes carcinogenesis in the human bodies due to the continuous decay of α- and β- particles. The health risks related to radioactive radon instigate to develop an advanced technology for its removal from the environment. There are two standard techniques, such as aeration and activated carbon filtration, available for its removal. However, both of them face different technological drawbacks resulting in the processes either inefficient or inappropriate for the purpose. Conclusion: There are several technologies utilizing either algae or microorganisms that could be useful in the bioremediation of radon. Some of the algae and microorganisms are examined and found to be tolerated and decontaminated various ionization radiations like α-, β-, and γ- radiations. In a US patent, the microalgae Coccomyxa actinabiotis isolated from a nuclear facility showed the properties of bioremediation towards radionuclides. They overcome the physiological stress in the extreme environment for their growth due to the evolution under the prolonged influence of high energy radiation. Further, they are stimulated by the process of cloning, genetic transformations and adaptations for the purpose of enhancing the tolerance and decontamination power. Therefore, biotechnological researches have lots of prospects to remove radon from the water environment using algae and microorganisms.

Background: Lipid modification results in several benefits for the food industry, biotechnology advances and human health. Customizing bioactive lipids is very appealing because it improves the product's nutritional quality. Lipases are sustainable biocatalysts that can be reused, show selectivity towards substrates and reactions occur in mild conditions. Objectives: We aimed at systematically searching for patents deposited worldwide, that approached the production of structured lipids by using lipases as biocatalysts. Method: A patent-search strategy was set up in Questel-Orbit and the search strategy adopted was based on the combination of specific keywords in the title/abstract of the documents, encompassing thoroughly the search scope. We revised all patents relating structured lipids produced by enzyme reactions and provided an overview of the main objectives of the patents describing it, as well as a view of the principal depositors, years of publication and principal countries of deposit, as a mean to access the technological landscape on the subject. Results: Forty-four documents, published over the last 34 years, were retrieved. Nine main patents’ objectives were found, and the two major groups are: SL with bioactive properties and/or with fatty acids (FA) esterified at specific triacylglycerol positions and SL analogous of natural lipids. China, Japan and USA were the three main patent depositors. Conclusion: Although the number of patents retrieved was relatively low, this review indicates that SL production aiming at improvements in nutritional/health and/or physical attributes for food enhancement is a new field, and technological interest and innovation have been increasing over the last ten years.

Background: Carcinoembryonic Antigen (CEA) is a recommended prognostic marker in Colorectal Cancer (CRC) for tumor diagnosis and monitoring response to therapy. High CEA levels are specifically associated with CRC progression and increased levels of the marker are expected to fall following surgical treatment. Due to its role in CRC, CEA has also been explored as a target for cancer therapy and diagnosis approaches. Objective: The goal of this work is to highlight the role of CEA in CRC progression and liver metastasis as well as its potential as a biomarker for clinical and biotechnological approaches. Method: A literature search of electronic medical and patent databases Pubmed, Scopus, and Science Direct, Google patents, Esp@cenet and United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), was performed. Information was collected in recent publications, including 81 articles besides 13 patents related to different CEA targeting biotechnological approaches for CRC therapy and diagnosis. Results: CEA enhances CRC metastatic potential through many ways. CEA protects metastatic cells from death, changes the microenvironment of sinusoids, promoting the expression of adhesion molecule and malignant cell survival, besides being considered a proangiogenic molecule. Furthermore CEA has also been evaluated as a target in drug delivery systems, photodynamic therapy, radioimmunotherapy, cancer imaging and nanotechnological devices, leading to many patents concerning to development of anti-CEA antibodies or their fragments with potential to target colorectal cancer and liver metastasis cells. Conclusion: CEA is already clinically used to monitor CRC patients, and it is a very promising targeting biomarker for multiple biotechnological applications. As far as we know this is the first report on CEA that addresses patents database.

Background: Serine proteases have long been recognized to play key roles in various physiological processes. However, their disequilibrium can be linked to several diseases. Taking into account their wide diversity and specificity, they have been actively investigated by many industrial, academic and pharmaceutical industries. Objective: This review aims to provide a concise analysis of the described serine proteases as well as their relevant biotechnological and therapeutic applications. Method: Here, we give an overview of the recent knowledge on serine proteases with a particular focus on their biotechnological applications reported in European Patent Office (Espacenet), United States Patent and National Patent Collections (WIPO) patent databases. Results: Serine proteases are probably the enzymes that have been mostly studied over the past few decades. However, despite their increasing interest, no significant patent so far has dealt with the identity of overactive serine proteases in disease settings. Conclusion: This review displays that serine proteases have several relevant industrial uses. New potential applications of such proteins require more functional analyses seeing the key role of serine proteases in many biomedical and biotechnological processes.

Background: Propolis is a resinous complex produced by Apis mellifera L. bees whose variety of pharmacological properties results from the complexity of its composition. In dentistry, propolis is used on the prevention of oral diseases such as dental caries and gingivitis. Prospective studies in intellectual property banks are important to increase market competitiveness and thus generate new products in the various research areas. In this way, investments in patents play an important role in the technological and economic development of a country. Objective: To evaluate patents with dental products containing propolis, on intellectual property banks. Method: The research was conducted in 10 banks of intellectual property, including since the first deposits up to 2016. Relevant information that describes the invention in the patent document were collected, processed and described. Results: The search performed in 62 patents using propolis in the dental topic. World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) has the largest number of filing patents (83.60%) and the National Institute of Industrial Property (INPI) in third place with 4 patents (6.55%). Built-in dental cream with propolis was the most patented product. The first patent date of 1998, followed by an increase in the number of deposits in the last 20 years. Most of the patents are A61K code (51) for medical, dental or hygienic purposes. Conclusion: This study has shown that propolis is a promising bioactive component in dental products, especially for use in Cariology and Periodontology. Although there has been a significant progress in applications of propolis, the field of dental products is still a growing area and it is important to encourage innovation and development of new products incorporating propolis based on knowledge of its composition and therapeutic properties.