Appeal 2007-1069
Application 10/334,990
Claims 17-19, 21-24, 26-28, 30-38, and 41-46 are on appeal (Br. 4).
Claims 39 and 40 have been allowed (Br. 4). The appealed claims stand
rejected under 35 U.S.C. § 112, first and second paragraphs, 35 U.S.C. §
103(a), and nonstatutory obvious-type double-patenting (Br. 9).
The Examiner relies on the following as evidence of unpatentability:
Wagner US 5,827,717 Oct. 27, 1998
Van de Loo, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 92: 6743-6747 (1995).
Broun, Science, 282: 1315-1327 (1998).
Bork, Genome Research, 10:498-400 (2000).
We select claim 17, the broadest and only independent claim on
appeal, as representative:
17. A microorganism which
(A) is transformed with DNAs encoding (i) a
hydantoinase, (ii) a hydantoin racemase, and (iii) a D- or L-
specific carbamoylase, and
(B) converts 5-monosubstituted hydantoins to L- or D-
amino acids,
wherein the DNAs encoding the hydantoinase, the
hydantoin racemase, and the D- or L-specific carbamoylase are
overexpressed in the microorganism according to the turnover
rates of the respective enzymes to reduce the accumulation of
intermediates in the conversion of the 5-monosubstituted
hydantoins to L- or D-amino acids.
DISCUSSION
Rejection under § 112, second paragraph
Claims 17-19, 21-24, 26-28, 30-38, and 42-46 stand rejected under
35 U.S.C. §112, second paragraph, as indefinite (Answer 3; Br. 9).
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