Patents by Inventor Kenzo Yokozeki

Kenzo Yokozeki has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8753841
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2014
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 8518665
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Takakura, Seiichi Hara, Toshiki Taba, Shunichi Suzuki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 8460902
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method of producing optically active amino acids from 5-substituted hydantoin by isolating a hydantoinase gene and an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene involved in an ability to convert 5-substituted hydantoin or N-carbamylamino acid into optically active amino acids from a microorganism of the genus Microbacterium having the above ability and by improving gene amplification and transcriptional and translational activities thereby preparing a recombinant wherein the amount of the desired enzymes produced is increased. The hydantoinase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having a hydantoinase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:1. The N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase gene is, for example, a DNA encoding for a protein having an N-carbamyl-L-amino acid hydrolase activity, which has the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO:3.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Takenaka, Shunichi Suzuki, Norimasa Onishi, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Publication number: 20130084610
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 26, 2012
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Inventors: Yasuaki TAKAURA, Seiichi Hara, Toshiki Taba, Shunichi Suzuki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 8394940
    Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a procedure for realizing inexpensive and simple production of 3-indole-pyruvic acid. A transformant is made using a polynucleotide having a specific nucleotide sequence encoding a protein having an oxidase activity, and oxidase is generated by culturing the transformant in a medium to accumulate the oxidase in the medium and/or the transformant. Further, tryptophan is converted into 3-indole-pyruvic acid in the presence of the transformant and/or a culture thereof to produce 3-indole-pyruvic acid.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Yasuaki Takakura, Seiichi Hara, Toshiki Taba, Shunichi Suzuki, Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Kenzo Yokozeki
  • Patent number: 8389241
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 8389240
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Patent number: 8372607
    Abstract: The present invention describes a method for generating a serine derivative and an optically active isomer thereof by a convenient technique, and an enzyme and the like useful in the method. In the presence of the following protein (A) and/or (B) having an enzymatic activity, an ?-amino acid is reacted with an aldehyde to form a serine derivative: (A) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:5, and (B) a protein comprising an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 5, but which includes substitution, deletion, insertion and addition of one or more amino acids and is able to catalyze the reaction to form the serine derivative.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Shinji Kuroda, Masakazu Sugiyama, Kunihiko Watanabe, Shunichi Suzuki, Kenzo Yokozeki, Tatsuki Kashiwagi
  • Patent number: 8361748
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Publication number: 20130011873
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 12, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi HARA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 8329428
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Publication number: 20120301918
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo YOKOZEKI, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Publication number: 20120295304
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo YOKOZEKI, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Patent number: 8247193
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Publication number: 20120058511
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing the peptides comprising: cultivating in medium the microorganisms wherein at least one gene selected from the group consisting of a gene encoding; aminoacylhistidine peptidase; a gene encoding leucylaminopeptidase; and a gene encoding isoaspartyldipeptidase, respectively; has been disrupted on the chromosome and wherein preferably transformed with the recombinant DNA, comprising polynucleotide encoding the proteins having peptide-synthesizing activity, mixing at least one of the cultivated microorganisms and the disrupted cells of the microorganisms with the carboxy and amine components for the peptide synthesis.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2010
    Publication date: March 8, 2012
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.,
    Inventors: Ikuo KIRA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Sonoko Suzuki, Yasuhiro Mihara, Yoshinori Hirao
  • Publication number: 20120003692
    Abstract: A method of producing an ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester by forming the ?-L-aspartyl-L-phenylalanine-?-ester from L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester and L-phenylalanine using an enzyme or enzyme-containing substance that has an ability to selectively link L-phenylalanine to an ?-ester site of the L-aspartic acid-?,?-diester through a peptide bond.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo YOKOZEKI, Ayako Ohno, Seiichi Hara, Isao Abe
  • Publication number: 20120003693
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2011
    Publication date: January 5, 2012
    Applicant: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi HARA, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima
  • Patent number: 8084227
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a dipeptide from starting materials that are available at low costs through a route industrially advantageous and simple. Dipeptides are produced from amino acid esters and amino acids by using a culture of a microbe having an ability to produce a dipeptide from an amino acid ester and an amino acid, microbial cells separated from the culture, or treated microbial cell product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2011
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Seiichi Hara
  • Publication number: 20110262962
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a peptide, comprising culturing a transformant introduced with an expression vector to prepare a culture, and mixing the culture with a carboxy component and an amine component to form the peptide. The expression vector comprises a polynucleotide encoding a protein: (A) having selected deletions in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:2, (B) having a mutation of one or several amino acid residues in any protein selected from said group (A); (C) having 70% or more amino acid sequence identity to any protein selected from said group (A), (D) encoded by a polynucleotide that hybridizes under a stringent condition with a polynucleotide consisting of a nucleotide sequence complementary to a polynucleotide encoding any protein selected from said group (A), and (E) encoded by a polynucleotide having 70% or more nucleotide sequence identity to the polynucleotide encoding any protein selected from the group (A).
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2011
    Publication date: October 27, 2011
    Applicant: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: ISAO ABE, NOBUHIRO HIRATSUKA, SONOKO TAKEUCHI, SHUNICHI SUZUKI, KENZO YOKOZEKI
  • Patent number: 8039232
    Abstract: DNA and recombinant DNA that encode a peptide-forming enzyme, a method for producing a peptide-forming enzyme, and a method for producing a dipeptide are disclosed. A method for producing a dipeptide includes producing a dipeptide from a carboxy component and an amine component by using a culture of a microbe belonging to the genus Sphingobacterium and having the ability to form the dipeptide from the carboxy component and the amine component, a microbial cell separated from the culture, treated microbial cell product of the microbe or a peptide-forming enzyme derived from the microbe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Seiichi Hara, Kenzo Yokozeki, Isao Abe, Naoto Tonouchi, Yasuko Jojima