| PATENT NUMBER | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT GRANT DATE | January 30, 2001 |
| PATENT TITLE |
Polyasparaginic acid homopolymers an copolymers, biotechnical production and use thereof |
| PATENT ABSTRACT | The invention relates to the production of polyaspartic acid homo- and copolymers by biotechnological processes and to the use of the resulting products (for influencing the crystallization or agglomeration behavior of sparingly soluble salts or solids in aqueous systems). |
| PATENT INVENTORS | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT ASSIGNEE | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT FILE DATE | September 2, 1999 |
| PATENT CT FILE DATE | March 4, 1998 |
| PATENT CT NUMBER | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT CT PUB NUMBER | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT CT PUB DATE | September 11, 1998 |
| PATENT FOREIGN APPLICATION PRIORITY DATA | This data is not available for free |
| PATENT REFERENCES CITED |
Chemical Abstracts 70582z Mar. 15, 1976. S. Weiner, Biochemistry. 22 (1983) p. 4139-45 the Month in the Date of Publication is not Available. C. S. Sikes, A. P. Wheeler in Chem. Aspects of Regulation of Mineralization, Eds. C. S. Sikes, A. P. Wheeler Univ. of South Alabama Publ. Services (1988) p. 15-20 and 53-57 the Month in the Date of Publication is not available. Kovacs et al, J. Org. Chem. 26 (1961), p. 1084-1091 the Month in the Date of Publication is not Available. Derwent Abstract (English language) for JP 24472/68 (1968) the Month in the Date of Publication is not Available. |
| PATENT CLAIMS |
We claim: 1. .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers obtained by hydrolytic arginine elimination from cyanophycin. 2. Process for producing .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers by eliminating arginine from cyanophycin. 3. Process according to claim 2, wherein the arginine elimination takes place under basic conditions. 4. Process according to claim 3, wherein the cyanophycin is produced by fermentation with the aid of cyanobacteria. 5. Process according to claim 3, wherein the cyanophycin is produced by fermentation with the aid of the cyanobacterium Aphanocapsa PCC6308. 6. A method of using the .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers according to claim 1 for inhibiting mineral deposits, wherein said method comprises the step of adding the .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers to a vessel containing water and dissolved minerals. 7. A method of using the .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers according to claim 1 for dispersing solid particles, wherein the .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid homo- and copolymers are added to a vessel containing a dispersion of solid particles in water. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| PATENT DESCRIPTION |
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The invention relates to the production of polyaspartic acid homo- and copolymers by biotechnological processes and to the use of the resulting products (for influencing the crystallization or agglomeration behavior of sparingly soluble salts or solids in aqueous systems). 2. Description of the Related Art Crystallization and agglomeration processes are, as biological mineralization, among the fundamental processes of animate nature. Thus, they are involved, for example, in the structure of skeletons or shells in living organisms. In nature, these mineralization processes are controlled by naturally occurring proteins and polysaccharides. (S. Weiner, Biochem. 22, (1983), 4139-45; C. S. Sikes, A. P. Wheeler, in Chemical Aspects of Regulation of Mineralisation., Eds. C. S. Sikes , A. P. Wheeler University of South Alabama Publ. Services (1988), 15-20). Unfortunately, both in nature and in the industrial sector, unwanted mineralization processes also occur and result in tenacious, troublesome deposits and encrustations such as, for example, dental plaque, organ concretions or, in the industrial sector, encrustations on heat exchanger surfaces or cooling towers particle agglomerations in pigment dispersions, encrustations on hard (for example glass metal) and soft (textile) surfaces. In the past, various proposals have been made for exploiting this natural action principle for industrial problems. Thus, the U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,534,881, 4,585,560, 4,587,021 describe the inhibition of calcium carbonate deposits by protein fractions, polysaccharide fractions or polyamino acid fractions from calcium carbonate-forming organisms such as crustaceans etc. In addition, the inhibition of mineral deposits by polyanionic hydrophobic polypeptides with a block copolymer structure and related phosphorylated polypeptides is claimed in the literature (U.S. Pat. No. 4,868,287). The polypeptides used are prepared by methods of peptide chemistry. WO 92/17194 states that an improved synthesis of these polypeptides is provided. Since the proteins described above acquire their polyanionic characteristics through a high aspartic acid content, aspartic acid homo- and copolymers are also claimed for this purpose. These polyaspartic acids are, however, all obtained by chemical synthesis. Thus, for example, a polyaspartic acid sodium salt can be prepared by thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid to polysuccinimide and subsequent basic hydrolysis. (Kovacs et al. J. Org. Chem, 26 (1961)1084-1091). Further applications claim the preparation and use of polyaspartic acids by thermal polycondensation of aspartic acid in the presence of acidic catalysts such as phosphoric acid. In addition, polyaspartic acids are also prepared by thermal polymerization starting from aspartic acid precursors such as maleic acid ammonium salt (EP 0 256 366), maleic amide (EP 0604 813) and maleic anhydride, and ammonia-releasing compounds. BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention now describes biological methods for producing aspartic acid homo- and copolymers and the use of the resulting polymers for inhibiting mineral deposits and dispersing solid particles. To date, three different polyamino acids have been found in nature, poly-.gamma.-glutamate, poly-.SIGMA.-lysine and poly-.alpha.-arginylaspartate (cyanophycin). Poly-.gamma.-glutamate is produced by various Gram-positive bacteria such as, for example, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis natto or Bacillus anthracis. poly-.SIGMA.-Lysine is produced by Streptomyces albulus. Poly-.alpha.-arginylaspartate is produced by many cyanobacteria such as, for example, Spirulina platensis, Aphanocapsa PCC 6308 or Anabena cylindrica. Synthesis takes place by the non-ribosomal pathway, resulting in a polypeptide which has a polydisperse molecular weight distribution and is stored in the form of cyanophycin granules inside cells. To date, only the biotechnological production of poly-.gamma.-glutamate using Bacillus subtilis or Bacillus licheniformis is disclosed in the patent literature. (JP 1-174397 (1989), JP 43-24472 (1969) and U.S. Pat. No. 2,895,882). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION We have now found that aspartic acid homo- and copolymers can be produced using various cyanobacteria via the intermediate cyanophycin. The resulting polymers have the following structures. ##STR1## R.sub.1 : .tbd.OH or arginyl n: 5-400 If the total of all the R.sub.1 radicals corresponds to 100%, then the proportion of R.sub.1.dbd.OH is between 5% and 100%, preferably 30%-100% and particularly preferably 70% to 100%. The molecular weight of the polymers is generally between 1000 and 100,000, preferably between 2000 and 50,000, particularly preferably between 2000 and 30,000. The total n of all repeating units depends on the cleavage conditions to which the intermediate cyanophycin is subjected. Arginine elimination can take place both with acid and with base. If an acidic hydrolysis is carried out, stoichiometric amounts of acid in relation to the incorporated arginine are necessary because the acid is trapped as arginine salt. It is possible to employ as acid all mineral acids such as, for example, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acids, phosphoric acids and lower fatty acids of C.sub.1 -C.sub.5. The hydrolytic cleavage can moreover take place under pressure using carbonic acid or CO.sub.2. Depending on the concentration of the acid employed and on the reaction conditions, depolymerization by hydrolytic cleavage of the polyaspartate chain may also take place, in addition to the arginine elimination. However, the unwanted depolymerization can be minimized by suitable choice of the reaction conditions, such as dilute acid, moderate reaction times, temperatures not exceeding 100.degree. C. However, the hydrolysis can also advantageously be carried out under basic conditions, because the polyaspartate chain is more stable under these conditions. The reaction is carried out at a pH.gtoreq.8.5, preferably 9-12, and at temperatures between 20.degree. C. and 150.degree. C., preferably 50.degree. C.-120.degree. C. After the hydrolysis, the reaction product is removed by filtration from the unreacted cyanophycin and the alkali-insoluble arginine. Suitable as base for the alkaline hydrolysis are all metal hydroxides or carbonates which make pH values>8.5 possible in aqueous medium. Alkali metal and alkaline earth metal hydroxides are preferred. The cyanophycin employed for the hydrolytic formation of the aspartic acid homo- and copolymers is obtained by fermentation of cyanobacteria such as, for example, Aphanocapsa PCC 6308, Anabena cylindrica or Spirulina platensis. A possible biosynthetic pathway is described in the experimental part. The aspartic acid homo- and copolymers obtained as products were characterized by elemental analysis, amino acid analysis and NMR spectroscopy. The molecular weight was determined with the aid of aqueous GPC. In addition, for industrial applications, the products were tested for their ability to inhibit mineral deposits such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, calcium phosphate, calcium oxalate and barium sulfate, and for their dispersing capacity for solid particles. The calcium carbonate inhibiting capacity was carried out inter alia by a method of C. S. Sikes, A. P. Wheeler in Chemical Aspects of Regulation of Mineralisation, pp. 53-57, University of South Alabama Publication Series (1988). The products are completely biodegradable owing to their natural polypeptide structure based on .alpha.-linked L-aspartic acid. They can be employed, for example, as cobuilders in detergents and cleaners, for inhibiting and dispersing deposits in cooling and heating circulations for diminishing and dispersing deposits, and for reducing corrosion and inhibiting gas hydrates in petroleum and natural gas production. |
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