Methods for purifying protein

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11051532-B2
Application number	US-201816138876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 21, 2018
Priority date	Sep 22, 2017
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

This disclosure describes methods for purifying protein, and more particularly to methods for purifying protein that minimize the development of undesirable odors and flavors in the purified protein and increase protein yield.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for purifying protein from a plurality of cells, the method comprising:
a) lysing an aqueous suspension of the plurality of cells to obtain a cell lysate;
b) clarifying the cell lysate, optionally in the presence of one or more flocculants, to obtain a clarified lysate;
c) filtering the clarified lysate to obtain a protein composition; and
d) optionally pasteurizing the protein composition, to obtain a pasteurized protein composition,
wherein steps a), b), c), and d) independently, are performed at a pH between about 8.5 and about 12.0.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein filtering comprises microfiltration, ultrafiltration, diafiltration, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein clarifying step is performed by centrifugation to less than about 20% dry solids.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises microbial cells.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising washing the aqueous suspension of the plurality of cells at a pH between about 8.5 and about 12.0 before step a).

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the protein composition comprises at least about 35%, on a dry weight basis, of compounds larger than 5 kDa.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least about 50% of the protein in the protein composition falls between about 10 kDa and about 200 kDa.

8. A method for purifying protein from a plurality of cells, the method comprising:
a) lysing an aqueous suspension of the plurality of cells to obtain a cell lysate;
b) filtering the cell lysate to obtain a protein composition; and
c) optionally pasteurizing the protein composition to obtain a pasteurized protein composition,
wherein steps a), b), and c) independently, are performed at a pH between about 8.5 and about 12.0.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein filtering comprises ultrafiltration, diafiltration, or a combination thereof.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the plurality of cells comprises microbial cells.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising washing the aqueous suspension of the plurality of cells at a pH between about 8.5 and about 12.0 before step a).

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the protein composition comprises at least about 35%, on a dry weight basis, of compounds larger than 5 kDa.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein at least about 50% of the protein in the protein composition falls between about 10 kDa and about 200 kDa.

Assignees

• Impossible Foods Inc

Inventors

• Henderson Jr Carl Allen
• Ratnayake Ratnayake Mudiyanselage Dunilka Nishani
• Ronningen Ian Guiles
• Dafik Laila

Classifications

• B01D2311/2692

  Sterilization · CPC title

• B01D61/145

  Ultrafiltration · CPC title

• B01D61/147

  Microfiltration · CPC title

• B01D2311/18

  pH control · CPC title

• A23J3/20 Primary

  Proteins from microorganisms or unicellular algae · CPC title