DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
1. The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
2. The Amendment filed on May 26, 2026, has been received and entered.
Claim Disposition
3. Claims 2-3 has been canceled. Claims 1 and 4-18 are pending. Claims 1, 4, 6-8, 10-11, 13-15 and 18 are under examination. Claims 5, 9, 12 and 16-17 are withdrawn from further consideration pursuant to 37 CFR 1.12(b), as being drawn to a non-elected invention, there being no allowable generic or linking claim. The claims are only being examined to the extent that they pertain to the elected subject matter and species.
Claim objection
4. Claims 1, 4, 6-8, 10-11,13-15 and 18 are objected to for the following informalities:
For clarity and precision of claim language it is suggested that claim 1 is amended to recite “mutation” in lieu of “exchange”. The dependent claims hereto is also included (see claim 4 with similar language).
For clarity it is suggested that claims 4, 6-8, 10-11, 13-15 and 18 are amended to recite, “of” instead of “according to”.
For clarity it is suggested that claim 6 is amended to read, “…..wherein the polynucleotide…….and wherein protein sequences……”.
For clarity and precision of claim language it is suggested that claim 11 is amended to read, “…claim 10, [[which is suitable]] for replication…..”.
Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
5. Claim(s) 1 and 4 is/are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102 (a)(1) as being anticipated by Hawumba et al. (Curr. Microbiol., 55(6), pages 480-484, 2007).
The claimed invention is directed to a polynucleotide encoding an amino acid sequence, encoding an oxidoreductase that is greater than 90% identical to the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 with mutations in recited 13 positions. The reference discloses a 4-HPA hydroxylase from Geobacillus sp. Note that the alignment below from Hawumba et al. has complimentary amino acids in the positions thus an amino acid exchange. Therefore, the limitations of the claims are met by the reference.
RESULT 1
AY549312
LOCUS AY549312 1485 bp DNA linear BCT 29-OCT-2007
DEFINITION Geobacillus sp. PA-9 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid 3-hydroxylase
(pheH) gene, complete cds.
ACCESSION AY549312
VERSION AY549312.1
KEYWORDS .
SOURCE Geobacillus sp. PA-9
ORGANISM Geobacillus sp. PA-9
Bacteria; Bacillati; Bacillota; Bacilli; Bacillales;
Anoxybacillaceae; Geobacillus.
REFERENCE 1 (bases 1 to 1485)
AUTHORS Hawumba,J.F., Brozel,V.S. and Theron,J.
TITLE Cloning and characterization of a 4-hydroxyphenylacetate
3-hydroxylase from the thermophile Geobacillus sp. PA-9
JOURNAL Curr. Microbiol. 55 (6), 480-484 (2007)
PUBMED 17805928
REFERENCE 2 (bases 1 to 1485)
AUTHORS Hawumba,J.F., Theron,J. and Brozel,V.S.
TITLE Direct Submission
JOURNAL Submitted (17-FEB-2004) Biochemistry Department, Makerere
University, Kampala 0256, Uganda
FEATURES Location/Qualifiers
source 1..1485
/organism="Geobacillus sp. PA-9"
/mol_type="genomic DNA"
/strain="PA-9"
/isolation_source="hot spring"
/db_xref="taxon:278858"
/geo_loc_name="Uganda: Buranga"
gene 1..1485
/gene="pheH"
CDS 1..1485
/gene="pheH"
/function="catalyzes the conversion of
4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid to 3,4-dihydroxyphenyl acetic
acid"
/note="PheH"
/codon_start=1
/transl_table=11
/product="4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid 3-hydroxylase"
/protein_id="AAT28189.1"
/translation="MKMPAKTGKEYMERLKQAKSSVYIHGEKVEDVTVHPAFRNVVRS
MAALYDRQYEKPEKMLYRSPTTGQPVGMTFIQPTTIDELIARREATQEWARMSAGMMG
RSPDYLNAEVMAMGIANDLFAEDDPMFAENAKNYYEYAREHDISLTHTLIHPQMNRAK
ALHEQNDADVPLHLVERRKDGIIVSGIRLLATQGGITDEILVFPSTVKKATSGEDPYA
LAFAIPNNTPGVKFICREAFDYGRSAWDHPLASRFEEGDAIVSFENVFVPWERVFVCG
NSSICNRTFRETNAVVHMSHQVVAKNIVKTEFLLGVTLCLIEAIGIGEFQHVKDKGAE
IMLVLETMKSHLYRAEHNAKRDRWGTMTPDFAALDAARNWYPRIYPRLAEIIRILGAS
GLMAIPTEADFQHEEIGDIVRRAMQGATVDGYERVQLFRLAWDLTMSAFGARQTHYEY
YFFGDPVRMGMAYFDGYEKEPYKQFVREFLRGAKSVFIPADNKH
Alignment Scores:
Length: 1485
Score: 2544.00 Matches: 481
Percent Similarity: 100.0% Conservative: 13
Best Local Similarity: 97.4% Mismatches: 0
Query Match: 100.0% Indels: 0
Gaps: 0
18005086_1_X_SUBS (1-494) x AY549312 (1-1485)
Qy 1 MetLysMetProAlaLysThrGlyLysGluTyrMetGluArgLeuLysGlnAlaLysSer 20
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1 ATGAAAATGCCGGCCAAAACAGGAAAGGAGTATATGGAGCGGCTCAAGCAGGCGAAAAGC 60
Qy 21 SerValTyrIleHisGlyGluLysValGluAspValThrValHisProAlaPheArgAsn 40
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 61 AGCGTGTACATCCACGGGGAAAAAGTGGAGGATGTCACCGTTCATCCCGCGTTCCGCAAC 120
Qy 41 ValValArgSerMetAlaAlaLeuTyrAspArgGlnTyrGluLysProGluLysMetLeu 60
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 121 GTCGTCCGCTCGATGGCGGCGCTTTACGACCGGCAATACGAAAAGCCGGAGAAGATGTTG 180
Qy 61 TyrArgSerProThrThrGlyGlnProValGlyMetThrPheIleGlnProThrThrIle 80
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 181 TACCGGTCGCCGACAACCGGGCAGCCGGTCGGGATGACGTTCATTCAGCCAACTACGATT 240
Qy 81 AspGluLeuIleAlaArgArgGluAlaThrGlnGluTrpAlaArgMetSerAlaGlyMet 100
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 241 GACGAGCTCATCGCCCGCCGCGAGGCGACGCAAGAGTGGGCGCGGATGTCGGCCGGAATG 300
Qy 101 MetGlyArgSerProAspTyrLeuAsnAlaGluValMetAlaMetGlyIleAlaAsnAsp 120
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 301 ATGGGGCGCTCGCCTGATTATTTGAATGCCGAAGTCATGGCGATGGGCATCGCCAACGAT 360
Qy 121 LeuPheAlaGluAspAspProMetPheAlaGluAsnAlaLysAsnTyrTyrGluTyrAla 140
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 361 TTGTTTGCCGAAGACGATCCGATGTTTGCCGAAAATGCGAAAAACTATTATGAATACGCG 420
Qy 141 ArgGluHisAspIleSerLeuThrHisThrLeuIleHisProGlnMetAsnArgAlaLys 160
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 421 CGGGAACACGACATCAGCTTGACGCATACGCTCATCCATCCGCAAATGAACCGCGCCAAG 480
Qy 161 AlaLeuHisGluGlnAsnAspAlaAspValProLeuHisLeuValGluArgArgLysAsp 180
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 481 GCGCTGCACGAACAAAACGATGCCGATGTGCCGCTTCATTTGGTGGAACGGCGCAAAGAC 540
Qy 181 GlyIleIleValSerGlyIleArgLeuLeuAlaThrGlnGlyGlyIleThrAspGluIle 200
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 541 GGGATCATCGTCAGCGGCATCCGCCTATTGGCGACGCAAGGCGGCATCACCGATGAAATT 600
Qy 201 Leu***************************************AspProTyrAlaLeuAla 220
|||:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::||||||||||||||||||
Db 601 TTAGTGTTTCCCTCGACCGTGAAAAAAGCGACATCCGGCGAAGACCCATATGCGCTTGCC 660
Qy 221 PheAlaIleProAsnAsnThrProGlyValLysPheIleCysArgGluAlaPheAspTyr 240
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 661 TTTGCCATTCCGAACAATACGCCAGGCGTGAAGTTCATTTGCCGCGAGGCGTTTGACTAC 720
Qy 241 GlyArgSerAlaTrpAspHisProLeuAlaSerArgPheGluGluGlyAspAlaIleVal 260
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 721 GGGCGGAGCGCGTGGGATCATCCGCTGGCATCGCGTTTTGAGGAAGGCGATGCGATCGTT 780
Qy 261 SerPheGluAsnValPheValProTrpGluArgValPheValCysGlyAsnSerSerIle 280
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 781 TCGTTTGAAAATGTGTTTGTGCCGTGGGAGCGCGTGTTTGTGTGCGGCAATTCATCGATT 840
Qy 281 CysAsnArgThrPheArgGluThrAsnAlaValValHisMetSerHisGlnValValAla 300
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 841 TGCAACCGGACGTTCCGGGAAACGAACGCGGTTGTTCATATGTCCCATCAAGTCGTGGCG 900
Qy 301 LysAsnIleValLysThrGluPheLeuLeuGlyValThrLeuCysLeuIleGluAlaIle 320
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 901 AAAAACATCGTCAAAACGGAGTTTTTGCTTGGCGTCACCCTTTGCCTCATCGAAGCGATC 960
Qy 321 GlyIleGlyGluPheGlnHisValLysAspLysGlyAlaGluIleMetLeuValLeuGlu 340
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 961 GGCATCGGCGAGTTCCAGCATGTGAAAGACAAAGGGGCGGAAATCATGCTCGTCCTCGAG 1020
Qy 341 ThrMetLysSerHisLeuTyrArgAlaGluHisAsnAlaLysArgAspArgTrpGlyThr 360
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1021 ACGATGAAAAGCCATTTGTACCGGGCCGAGCACAATGCGAAGCGAGACCGTTGGGGAACG 1080
Qy 361 MetThrProAspPheAlaAlaLeuAspAlaAlaArgAsnTrpTyrProArgIleTyrPro 380
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1081 ATGACGCCCGATTTTGCCGCGCTCGATGCCGCGCGCAACTGGTATCCGCGCATTTATCCG 1140
Qy 381 ArgLeuAlaGluIleIleArgIleLeuGlyAlaSerGlyLeuMetAlaIleProThrGlu 400
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1141 CGCCTGGCGGAGATCATCCGCATTTTAGGGGCATCGGGGTTGATGGCGATTCCGACGGAG 1200
Qy 401 AlaAspPheGlnHisGluGluIleGlyAspIleValArgArgAlaMetGlnGlyAlaThr 420
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1201 GCGGATTTTCAGCACGAGGAAATTGGCGACATCGTTCGCCGGGCGATGCAAGGGGCGACG 1260
Qy 421 ValAspGlyTyrGluArgValGlnLeuPheArgLeuAlaTrpAspLeuThrMetSerAla 440
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1261 GTGGACGGCTATGAGCGCGTCCAGCTGTTCCGGCTCGCCTGGGATCTCACGATGAGCGCG 1320
Qy 441 PheGlyAlaArgGlnThrHisTyrGluTyrTyrPhePheGlyAspProValArgMetGly 460
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1321 TTCGGCGCCCGGCAGACGCATTACGAATATTACTTTTTCGGCGACCCCGTTCGGATGGGG 1380
Qy 461 MetAlaTyrPheAspGlyTyrGluLysGluProTyrLysGlnPheValArgGluPheLeu 480
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1381 ATGGCGTATTTCGATGGCTACGAAAAAGAGCCGTATAAACAGTTCGTGCGCGAATTTTTG 1440
Qy 481 ArgGlyAlaLysSerValPheIleProAlaAspAsnLysHis 494
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Db 1441 CGCGGCGCCAAAAGCGTGTTCATTCCGGCTGACAACAAGCAT 1482
Response to Arguments
6. Applicant’s comments have been considered in full. Withdrawn objections/rejections will not be discussed herein as applicant’s comments are moot. Note that the rejection under 102 remains but has been altered based on amendments made to the claims for the reasons stated above and here. Applicant traverses the rejection and state that the claims have been amended. The rejection is newly applied to the clarified claim language.
Conclusion
7. No claims are presently allowable.
8. Applicant’s amendment necessitated the new/modified ground(s) of rejection presented in this Office action. Accordingly, THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. See MPEP § 706.07(a). Applicant is reminded of the extension of time policy as set forth in 37 CFR 1.136(a).
A shortened statutory period for reply to this final action is set to expire THREE MONTHS from the mailing date of this action. In the event a first reply is filed within TWO MONTHS of the mailing date of this final action and the advisory action is not mailed until after the end of the THREE-MONTH shortened statutory period, then the shortened statutory period will expire on the date the advisory action is mailed, and any extension fee pursuant to 37 CFR 1.136(a) will be calculated from the mailing date of the advisory action. In no event, however, will the statutory period for reply expire later than SIX MONTHS from the date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to HOPE A ROBINSON whose telephone number is (571) 272-0957. The examiner can normally be reached 9-5pm on Monday to Friday.
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If attempts to reach the examiner by telephone are unsuccessful, the examiner’s supervisor, Robert Mondesi can be reached on (408) 918-7584. The fax phone number for the organization where this application or proceeding is assigned is 571-273-8300.
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/HOPE A ROBINSON/Primary Examiner, Art Unit 1652
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