The Experts below are selected from a list of 816 Experts worldwide ranked by ideXlab platform

Joel R. Coats - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Amyris and Siam-wood Essential Oils: Insect Activity of Sesquiterpenes
    ACS Symposium Series, 2009
    Co-Authors: Gretchen Elizabeth Paluch, Junwei Zhu, Lyric C. Bartholomay, Joel R. Coats
    Abstract:

    Recent investigations on the sesquiterpene-rich Amyris (Amyris balsamifera L.) and Siam-wood (Fokienia hodginsii L.) essential oils revealed significant arthropod repellency and toxicity responses. Amyris essential oil and one of its major components, elemol, were evaluated in laboratory bioassays and identified as effective mosquito repellents, specifically characterized by high levels of contact and minimal spatial repellency. Mosquito responses to catnip (Nepeta cataria L.) essential oil are characterized with high spatial activity, but lack significant contact repellency. Sampling within the static-air bioassay chamber with solid-phase microextraction provided measurements of the relative concentration and distribution of volatiles. These results supported the differences observed in repellency between essential oil treatments. Essential oil mixtures containing both spatial (catnip) and contact (Amyris) repellents were made and showed high levels of residual control via both modes of action. Siam-wood essential oil scored high in both spatial and contact efficacy against mosquitoes. Observations during this study included signs of toxicity. Two of the primary components of Siam-wood essential oil were tested for 24-hour house fly (Musca domestica L.) topical mortality. Transnerolidol and fokienol were found to possess similar insecticidal activity (topical LD 50 values ranged from 0.17-0.21 μmol/fly). Amyris essential oil was selected for additional testing with brown dog ticks (Rhipicephalus sanguineus Latreille) in a 'barrier' repellency assay. Individuals were observed repeatedly avoiding and moving away from surfaces treated with Amyris essential oil.

  • Quantitative Structure−Activity Relationship of Botanical Sesquiterpenes: Spatial and Contact Repellency to the Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes aegypti
    Journal of agricultural and food chemistry, 2009
    Co-Authors: Gretchen Elizabeth Paluch, Lyric C. Bartholomay, Justin Adam Grodnitzky, Joel R. Coats
    Abstract:

    The plant terpenoids encompass a diversity of structures and have many functional roles in nature, including protection against pest arthropods. Previous studies in this laboratory have identified naturally occurring sesquiterpenes contained in essential oils from two plants, Amyris (Amyris balsamifera) and Siam-wood (Fokienia hodginsii), that are significantly repellent to a spectrum of arthropod pests. In efforts to further examine the biological activity of this class of compounds 12 of these plant-derived sesquiterpenes have been isolated, purified, and assayed for spatial and contact repellency against the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. These data were used to develop quantitative structure−activity relationships that identified key properties of the sesquiterpene molecule, including electronic and structural parameters that were used to predict optimal repellent activity. There were notable similarities in the models developed for spatial repellency over five time points and for contact repel...

  • adult repellency and larvicidal activity of five plant essential oils against mosquitoes
    Journal of The American Mosquito Control Association, 2006
    Co-Authors: Junwei Zhu, Joel R. Coats, Xiaopeng Zeng, Ting Liu, Kuen Qian, Yuhua Han, Suqin Xue, Brad J Tucker, Gretchen Schultz, Wayne A Rowley
    Abstract:

    ABSTRACT The larvicidal activity and repellency of 5 plant essential oils—thyme oil, catnip oil, Amyris oil, eucalyptus oil, and cinnamon oil—were tested against 3 mosquito species: Aedes albopictus, Ae. aegypti, and Culex pipiens pallens. Larvicidal activity of these essentials oils was evaluated in the laboratory against 4th instars of each of the 3 mosquito species, and Amyris oil demonstrated the greatest inhibitory effect with LC50 values in 24 h of 58 µg/ml (LC90  =  72 µg/ml) for Ae. aegypti, 78 µg/ml (LC90  =  130 µg/ml) for Ae. albopictus, and 77 µg/ml (LC90  =  123 µg/ml) for Cx. p. pallens. The topical repellency of these selected essential oils and deet against laboratory-reared female blood-starved Ae. albopictus was examined. Catnip oil seemed to be the most effective and provided 6-h protection at both concentrations tested (23 and 468 µg/cm2). Thyme oil had the highest effectiveness in repelling this species, but the repellency duration was only 2 h. The applications using these natural pr...

Melody Bomgardner - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Amyris makes CBG via fermentation
    C&EN Global Enterprise, 2020
    Co-Authors: Melody Bomgardner
    Abstract:

    Amyris, a producer of fermentation-derived ingredients, says it has scaled up production of cannabigerol (CBG), a cannabinoid that can be used in skin-care and cosmetic products. CBG is the precurs...

  • Amyris exits vitamin E in deal with DSM
    C&EN Global Enterprise, 2019
    Co-Authors: Melody Bomgardner
    Abstract:

    Biobased specialty firm Amyris will wrap up a years-long vitamin E deal by selling its royalty rights to partner DSM for $57 million. Amyris will no longer be in the vitamin E business, but the two firms will continue to work together. In 2017, Amyris sold its plant in Brotas, Brazil, to DSM. Now DSM will produce Amyris’s molecules for markets including flavors and fragrances, skin care, sweeteners, and cannabinoids. That deal will be worth up to $40 million over the next 3 years, Amyris says.

  • Newcomers head for zero-calorie sweetener market
    C&EN Global Enterprise, 2018
    Co-Authors: Melody Bomgardner
    Abstract:

    Companies based on fermentation technology are pushing into the business of making rebaudioside M, a zero-calorie sweetener extracted from the stevia plant. The Bay Area biotech firm Amyris says it will launch a Reb M-based sweetener in 2019. It intends to produce the molecule from sugarcane syrup on a large scale via fermentation with modified microbes. Plant-extracted stevia sweeteners can contain bitter-tasting molecules, Amyris says. Reb M is considered the sweetest of steviol glycosides, but it exists in only tiny quantities in the stevia plant. Amyris has linked up with ASR Group, the cane-sugar refiner that owns the Domino Sugar and C&H Sugar brands. ASR has agreed to buy 80% of Amyris’s sweetener output for three years. The company also has partnerships with Brazilian firms, including the cane-sugar producer Raizen. Shoppers in the South American country will be the first to try a tabletop sweetener version of Reb M, made

  • Amyris farnesene plant going to DSM
    Chemical & Engineering News, 2017
    Co-Authors: Melody Bomgardner
    Abstract:

    Biobased chemicals maker Amyris has agreed to sell its Brazilian farnesene fermentation plant to Dutch specialties firm DSM for $96 million. The deal includes intellectual property for producing farnesene, a key intermediate chemical made from sugar. The announcement came three days after Amyris disclosed its earnings for the third quarter. The company booked $24.2 million in revenues from product sales and collaborations, down from $26.5 million in the year-ago quarter. And its quarterly loss ballooned to almost $34 million from $19.7 million. Founded in 2003 to commercialize science from the lab of University of California, Berkeley, chemical engineer Jay D. Keasling, Amyris bet big on the potential of its fermentation technology. But investors have recently grown impatient. Its stock price has fallen from a high of close to $80 per share in 2013 to less than $4.00 today. The purchase is the second cash infusion from DSM. In May, the

  • DSM and Amyris pursue vitamin A
    C&EN Global Enterprise, 2017
    Co-Authors: Melody Bomgardner
    Abstract:

    DSM will invest $25 million in the biobased chemicals maker Amyris and may follow with another $25 million. At the same time, the two firms will work on health-related products. They have an exclusive agreement to develop a fermentation route to vitamin A, which is normally made via chemical synthesis. If DSM does invest the full $50 million, it will own almost one-quarter of Amyris. Other, unnamed investors have committed an additional $45 million. Amyris will use most of the funds to pay down debt.

Brent R. Copp - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

Ying Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Identification of essential oils with activity against stationary phase Staphylococcus aureus.
    BMC complementary medicine and therapies, 2020
    Co-Authors: Shuzhen Xiao, Peng Cui, Wanliang Shi, Ying Zhang
    Abstract:

    Background Staphylococcus aureus is the most dominant human pathogen, responsible for a variety of chronic and severe infections. There is mounting evidence that persisters are associated with treatment failure and relapse of persistent infections. While some essential oils were reported to have antimicrobial activity against growing S. aureus, activity of essential oils against the stationary phase S. aureus enriched in persisters has not been investigated. Methods In this study, we evaluated the activity of 143 essential oils against both growing and stationary phase S. aureus by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing and by colony forming unit assay. Results We identified 39 essential oils (Oregano, Cinnamon bark, Thyme white, Bandit "Thieves", Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Sandalwood oil, Health shield, Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa, Cinnamon leaf, Clove bud, Citronella, Geranium bourbon, Marjoram, Peppermint, Lemongrass, Cornmint, Elemi, Ho wood, Head ease, Lemon eucalyptus, Litsea cubeba, Myrrh, Parsley seed, Coriander oil, Dillweed, Hyssop, Neroli, Rosewood oil, Tea tree, Cajeput, Clove bud, Lavender, Sleep tight, Vetiver, Palo santo, Sage oil, Yarrow) at 0.5% (v/v) concentration, 10 essential oils (Cinnamon bark, Oregano, Thyme white, Bandit "Thieves", Lemongrass, Sandalwood oil, Health shield, Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa at 0.25% (v/v) concentration, and 7 essential oils (Oregano, Cinnamon bark, Thyme white, Lemongrass, Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa at 0.125% (v/v) concentration to have high activity against stationary phase S. aureus with no visible growth on agar plates after five-day exposure. Among the 10 essential oils which showed high activity at 0.25% (v/v) concentration, 9 (Oregano, Cinnamon bark, Thyme white, Bandit "Thieves", Lemongrass, Health shield, Allspice, Palmarosa, Amyris showed higher activity than the known persister drug tosufloxacin, while Sandalwood oil had activity at a higher concentration. In Oregano essential oil combination studies with antibiotics, Oregano plus tosufloxacin (or levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) and rifampin completely eradicated stationary phase S. aureus cells, but had no apparent enhancement for linezolid, vancomycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, azithromycin or gentamicin. Conclusions Our findings indicate that some essential oils have excellent activity against both growing and stationary phase S. aureus. Further studies are needed to identify the active components, evaluate safety, pharmacokinetics, and their activity to eradicate S. aureus infections in vivo.

  • Identification of essential oils with activity against stationary phase Staphylococcus aureus
    2019
    Co-Authors: Shuzhen Xiao, Peng Cui, Wanliang Shi, Ying Zhang
    Abstract:

    Abstract Staphylococcus aureus is the most dominant human pathogen, responsible for a variety of chronic and severe infections. There is mounting evidence that persisters are associated with treatment failure and relapse of persistent infections. While some essential oils were reported to have antimicrobial activity against growing S. aureus, activity of essential oils against the non-growing stationary phase S. aureus enriched in persisters has not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the activity of 143 essential oils against stationary phase S. aureus and identified 39 essential oils (Cinnamon bark, Oregano, Thyme white, Bandit “Thieves”, Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Sandalwood oil, Health shield, Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa, Cinnamon leaf, Clove bud, Citronella, Geranium bourbon, Marjoram, Peppermint, Lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus), Cornmint, Elemi, Ho wood, Head ease, Lemon eucalyptus, Litsea cubeba, Myrrh, Parsley seed, Coriander oil, Dillweed, Hyssop, Neroli, Rosewood oil, Tea tree, Cajeput, Glove bud, Lavender, Sleep tight, Vetiver, Palo santo, Sage oil, Yarrow) at 0.5% concentration, 10 essential oils (Cinnamon bark, Oregano, Thyme white, Bandit “Thieves”, Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Sandalwood oil, Health shield, Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa) at 0.25% concentration, and 7 essential oils (Cinnamon bark, Oregano, Thyme white, Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Allspice, Amyris, Palmarosa) at 0.125% concentration to have high activity against stationary phase S. aureus with no visible growth on agar plates after five-day exposure. Among the 10 essential oils which showed high activity at 0.25% concentration, 9 (Cinnamon bark, Oregano, Thyme white, Bandit “Thieves”, Lemongrass (Cymbopogon flexuosus), Health shield, Allspice, Palmarosa, Amyris) showed higher activity than the known persister drug tosufloxacin, while the other one (Sandalwood oil) was found to be active at a higher concentration. In Oregano essential oil drug combination studies with clinical antibiotics, Oregano plus quinolone drugs (tosufloxacin, levofloxacin, ciprofloxacin) and rifampin completely eradicated all stationary phase S. aureus cells, but had no apparent enhancement for linezolid, vancomycin, sulfamethoxazole, trimethoprim, azithromycin and gentamicin. Our findings may facilitate development of more effective treatment for persistent S. aureus infections.

Timothy S. Gardner - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Transforming Yeast from Moonshiners into Oil Barons
    Biophysical Journal, 2014
    Co-Authors: Timothy S. Gardner
    Abstract:

    Amyris has transformed ethanologenic baker's yeast into farnesene oil producers. Farnesene is a 15-carbon hydrocarbon derived from the sterol synthesis pathway (the same root pathway that make cholesterol). Its branched structure makes it ideal for processing into base-oils for cosmetics (replacing shark liver oil), synthetic engine lubricants, diesel fuel, and high-performing polymers for tires. In four years, Amyris has improved its yeast from producing only a single microliter in a test tube, to making thousands of liters in a full-scale fermentations at unprecedented yields and productivities. I will share lessons learned from the challenges of strain development and scale-up at Amyris, and how those lessons might be applied to accelerate and empower research in Industrial Biotechnology.