DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1, 3, 6, 8 and 10-25 are pending.
Receipt is acknowledged of Remarks and Amendments filed on 07/21/2026 amending claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 11, 15, 19-22, 24 and 25.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Rejections and/or objections not reiterated from previous office actions are hereby withdrawn.
Priority
This application is a 371 of PCT/KR2021/008262 filed on 06/30/2021 and claims foreign
priority to KR 10-2020-0115570, filed on 09/09/2020. Receipt is acknowledged of the certified
copy of English language translation of KR 10-2020-0115570.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112(b)
Claims 11, 24 and 25 remain rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor (or for applications subject to pre -AIA 35 U.S.C.112, the applicant), regards as the invention.
(previous rejection, maintained) Claim 11 recites the limitation “wherein activity of OdhA protein is further weakened”. Claim 6, from which claim 11 depends from, does not recite “OdhA”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. There still is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 6 does not recite "OdhA" so it cannot further weaken the activity of the protein.
(previous rejection, maintained) Claim 24 recites the limitation “wherein activity of OdhA protein is weakened”. Claim 11, from which claim 24 depends from, does recite “OdhA” but claim 6, from which claim 11 depends from does not recite “OdhA”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. There still is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Applicant changed the dependency from claim 6 to claim 11. However, claim 6 from which claim 11 depends from does not recite "OdhA".
(previous rejection, maintained) Claim 25 recites the limitation “wherein activity of OdhA protein is further weakened”. Claim 15, from which claim 25 depends from, does not recite “OdhA”. There is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Correction is required.
Response to Arguments
Applicant's arguments filed 07/21/2026 have been fully considered but they are not persuasive. There still is insufficient antecedent basis for this limitation in the claim. Claim 15 does not recite "OdhA" so it cannot further weaken the activity of the protein.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1 is directed in part to a recombinant microorganism of Corynebacterium glutamicum having L- glutamic acid producing ability, in which a sodium dependent SbtA protein or a polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein is introduced, and in which activity of OdhA protein is weakened compared to that of a wild type Corynebacterium plutamicum, and wherein the recombinant microorganism has an ability to increase produce L-glutamic acid production compared with a parent Corynebacterium glutamicum strain before introducing the sodium dependent SbtA protein or the polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein, and wherein the sodium dependent SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. Claim 3 is directed to the recombinant microorganism of claim 1, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 95 % sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 12 is directed to the recombinant microorganism of claim 1, wherein the SbtA protein or the polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein is the only bicarbonate transporter or polynucleotide encoding the bicarbonate transporter that is introduced to the recombinant microorganism. Claim 13 is directed to the microorganism of claim 1, wherein the SbtA protein is introduced to the recombinant microorganism. Claim 14 is directed to the microorganism of claim 1, wherein the polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein is introduced to the recombinant microorganism. Claim 19 is directed to the recombinant microorganism of claim 1, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 94% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 20 is directed to the microorganism of claim 1, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 23 is directed to the microorganism of claim 1, wherein at least a part of an OdhA gene is deleted to weaken the activity of OdhA protein. Claims 1, 3, 12-14, 19-20 and 23 all appear to be allowable over the prior at of record.
Claim 6 is directed to a method for producing L-glutamic acid, the method comprising culturing, in a medium, a recombinant microorganism of Corynebacterium glutamicum producing L-glutamic acid, in which a sodium dependent SbtA protein or a polynucleotide encoding the sodium dependent SbtA protein is introduced, and wherein the recombinant microorganism has an ability to increase produce L-glutamic acid production compared with a parent Corynebacterium glutamicum strain before introducing the sodium dependent SbtA protein or the polynucleotide encoding the sodium dependent SbtA protein, and wherein the sodium dependent SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 8 is directed to the method of claim 6, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 95 % sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 10 is directed to the method of claim 6, further comprising recovering L-glutamic acid from the recombinant microorganism or the medium. Claims 6, 8 and 10 all appear to be allowable over the prior at of record.
Claim 15 is directed to a method for increasing L-glutamic acid production comprising introducing a sodium dependent SbtA protein or a polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein into a microorganism of Corynebacterium glutamicum, and wherein the sodium dependent SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1; and the microorganism in a medium. Claim 16 is directed to the method claim 15, further comprising recovering L-glutamic acid from the recombinant microorganism or the medium. Claim 17 is directed to the method of claim 15, wherein the SbtA protein is introduced to the microorganism. Claim 18 is directed tot the method of claim 15, wherein the polynucleotide encoding the SbtA protein is introduced to the microorganism. Claim 21 is directed to the method of claim 15, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 94% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claim 22 is directed to the method of claim 15, wherein the SbtA protein contains the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 or an amino acid sequence having at least 99% sequence identity with the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1. Claims 15-18, 21 and 22 all appear to be allowable over the prior at of record.
Conclusion
Claims 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12-23 are allowable.
THIS ACTION IS MADE FINAL. 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 nonprovisional extension fee
(37 CFR 1.17(a)) 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 mailing date of this final action.
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to DALTON KIEFER, PhD whose telephone number is (571)272-1235. The examiner can normally be reached M-F 7:30-5 EST.
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/DALTON EDWARD KIEFER/Examiner, Art Unit 1652
/ROBERT B MONDESI/Supervisory Patent Examiner, Art Unit 1652
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