San Juan, PR — January 27, 2026 — In this edition of PR Patent Watch, we spotlight a newly issued patent from the University of Puerto Rico that advances sustainable biotechnology by significantly improving fatty acid production through enzyme engineering.
The patent, US 12,534,746, titled "Artificial Fusion of Dehydratase Enzymes to Improve Production of Fatty Acids," protects a novel approach to boosting fatty acid biosynthesis by fusing key metabolic enzymes into more efficient, stable constructs. Developed by Dr. Carlos Rullán Lind and Dr. Abel J. Baerga Ortiz, this innovation highlights how Puerto Rico–based research is enabling new solutions for biofuels, biomaterials, agriculture, and industrial biotechnology.
What Problem Does This Technology Address?
Fatty acids are essential building blocks for:
- Renewable biofuels
- Bioplastics and biomaterials
- Food and nutritional products
While microbes like E. coli are attractive platforms for sustainable fatty acid production, natural enzymes often:
- Produce low yields
- Lose activity when overexpressed
- Suffer from poor solubility and stability
These limitations make large-scale, cost-effective production challenging.
The Innovation: Forced Enzyme Fusion
This patent introduces artificially fused dehydratase enzymes that overcome those bottlenecks.
The invention focuses on two key enzymes in fatty acid biosynthesis:
- FabA, and
- FabZ
Instead of functioning as separate, naturally occurring dimers, the enzymes are genetically fused into:
- Heterodimers (FabA–FabZ or FabZ–FabA), and
- Improved homodimers (FabA–FabA or FabZ–FabZ)
These fused enzymes are linked using a short peptide derived from a polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase, creating "forced dimers" with superior performance.
Key Performance Advantages
The fused enzyme constructs demonstrate:
- Up to 32× higher catalytic efficiency compared to native FabZ
- Significantly increased fatty acid yields in vivo
- Improved enzyme solubility, making large-scale expression feasible
- Enhanced thermal and structural stability, supporting industrial operation
- No negative impact on microbial growth, an important factor for fermentation processes
Together, these improvements unlock fatty acid production levels that were previously difficult to achieve.
Why This Matters Scientifically
- Smarter enzyme design
By physically linking enzymes that work in sequence, the system improves reaction efficiency without changing the underlying metabolic pathway.
- Better control of biosynthesis
Forced dimerization enhances enzyme activity and stability while preserving biological compatibility.
- Platform technology potential
The fusion strategy can be adapted to other metabolic pathways beyond fatty acids.
Why This Matters in the Market
Biofuels & Renewable Chemicals
Higher fatty acid yields reduce production costs for sustainable fuels and chemical intermediates.
Industrial Biotechnology
Stable, high-performing enzymes are critical for scalable fermentation and biomanufacturing.
Agriculture & Nutrition
Fatty acids serve as precursors for supplements, food additives, and animal feed formulations.
Why the Patent Is Important
- A non‑natural, engineered solution
These fused enzyme combinations do not exist in nature, making the intellectual property especially strong.
- Demonstrated in vivo performance
The patent includes experimental evidence showing real yield improvements inside living cells.
- Manufacturing‑ready
Enhanced solubility and robustness support real-world deployment.
Licensing Opportunity
This technology is available for licensing and represents a strong opportunity for partners in:
- Biofuels
- Biomanufacturing
- Renewable chemicals
- Synthetic biology
➡️ Contact the Technology Transfer Office for licensing and technical details.
Collaboration That Moves Technologies from Lab to Market
This patent underscores Puerto Rico's collaborative innovation, uniting University of Puerto Rico researchers with the Puerto Rico Science, Technology & Research Trust's Technology Transfer Office (TTO). As the only regional TTO serving universities and research institutions across the island, the office:
- Identifies patentable innovations
- Evaluates scientific and technical merit
- Protects intellectual property
- Markets technologies to potential partners
- Transfers innovations through licensing and startup pathways
The TTO's ongoing role helps ensure Puerto Rican research translates into tangible technologies capable of real‑world impact.
About PR Patent Watch
PR Patent Watch highlights newly issued and previously awarded patents from Puerto Rican universities and research institutions supported by our Technology Transfer Office. Each edition celebrates local innovation, recognizes inventors, and showcases Puerto Rico's growing strength in scientific discovery and technology commercialization. Explore licensing and technical details here.
