Patents by Inventor Gen Nonaka

Gen Nonaka 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: 9458206
    Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an ability to produce an amino acid such as L-cysteine and has been modified to have specific mutation in the yeas gene, is cultured in a medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takumi, Gen Nonaka
  • Patent number: 9234223
    Abstract: A method for producing L-cysteine and the like is provided by developing a novel technique for improving bacterial L-cysteine-producing ability. The method includes the steps of culturing a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia which has L-cysteine-producing ability, and in which expression of a gene involved in sulfite reduction is enhanced, in a medium containing thiosulfate, and collecting L-cysteine, a related substance thereof, or a mixture thereof which accumulate in the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2016
    Assignee: AJINOMOTO CO., INC.
    Inventors: Shunsuke Yamazaki, Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8962284
    Abstract: A novel technique for improving the production by bacteria of amino acids that contain sulfur has been developed, and thereby a sulfur-containing amino acid-producing bacterium, and a method for producing a compound such as a sulfur-containing amino acid are provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Gen Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8852897
    Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid is described using a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, wherein the bacterium contains a protein which is able to confer resistance to growth inhibition by L-cysteine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2014
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Ekaterina Alekseevna Savrasova, Natalia Viktorovna Stoynova, Gen Nonaka, Shunsuke Yamazaki, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8647847
    Abstract: An L-cysteine-producing bacterium is provided, as well as a method for producing L-cysteine etc. using the bacterium by developing a novel technique for improving L-cysteine-producing ability of a bacterium. By culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has L-cysteine-producing ability and is modified so that activity of a protein encoded by the yciW gene, for example, a protein defined by the following (A) or (B), is reduced, in a medium, and collecting L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof from the medium, these compounds are produced: (A) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, (B) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, but which includes substitution, deletion, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acid residues, reduction of which activity in the bacterium results in improvement in the L-cysteine-producing ability.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2014
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventor: Gen Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8460903
    Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid is described using a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, wherein the bacterium contains a protein which is able to confer resistance to growth inhibition by L-cysteine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Ekaterina Alekseevna Savrasova, Natalia Viktorovna Stoynova, Gen Nonaka, Shunsuke Yamazaki, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8383372
    Abstract: The present invention describes a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae which has L-cysteine-producing ability and has been modified to decrease the activity of a protein encoded by the d0191 gene. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, derivatives thereof, or a mixture thereof is collected from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Publication number: 20120288902
    Abstract: An L-cysteine-producing bacterium is provided, as well as a method for producing L-cysteine etc. using the bacterium by developing a novel technique for improving L-cysteine-producing ability of a bacterium. By culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has L-cysteine-producing ability and is modified so that activity of a protein encoded by the yciW gene, for example, a protein defined by the following (A) or (B), is reduced, in a medium, and collecting L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative thereof, or a mixture thereof from the medium, these compounds are produced: (A) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, (B) a protein having the amino acid sequence shown in SEQ ID NO: 2, but which includes substitution, deletion, insertion, or addition of one or several amino acid residues, reduction of which activity in the bacterium results in improvement in the L-cysteine-producing ability.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 29, 2012
    Publication date: November 15, 2012
    Inventor: Gen Nonaka
  • Patent number: 8293506
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which is able to produce L-cysteine and has been modified to increase the activity of the protein encoded by the dsbA gene. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof or a mixture thereof can be collected from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2012
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Hiroshi Takagi, Iwao Ohtsu, Natthawut Wiriyathanawudhiwong, Takeshi Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20120252076
    Abstract: A method for producing L-cysteine and the like is provided by developing a novel technique for improving bacterial L-cysteine-producing ability. The method includes the steps of culturing a bacterium belonging to the genus Escherichia which has L-cysteine-producing ability, and in which expression of a gene involved in sulfite reduction is enhanced, in a medium containing thiosulfate, and collecting L-cysteine, a related substance thereof, or a mixture thereof which accumulate in the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Publication date: October 4, 2012
    Inventors: Shunsuke Yamazaki, Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8278075
    Abstract: L-Cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof, or a mixture thereof is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has L-cysteine-producing ability and has been modified so that the activity of a protein encoded by a tolC gene, for example, a protein defined in the following (a) or (b), is increased in a medium, and by collecting L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof, or a mixture thereof from the medium: (a) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, (b) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, but wherein one or several amino acid residues are substituted, deleted, inserted or added, increase of which activity in the bacterium improves the ability of the bacterium to produce L-cysteine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2012
    Assignees: Ajinomoto Co., Inc., National University Corporation Nara Institute of Science and Technology
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Hiroshi Takagi, Iwao Ohtsu
  • Patent number: 8206954
    Abstract: An L-amino acid is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an L-amino acid-producing ability and inherently has a native activity of a glucose dehydrogenase that uses pyrroloquinoline quinone as a coenzyme, but has been modified so that the activity of the glucose dehydrogenase is reduced, in a medium, and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Rie Takikawa, Yoshihiko Hara, Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Publication number: 20110212496
    Abstract: An L-amino acid is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an L-amino acid-producing ability and inherently has a native activity of a glucose dehydrogenase that uses pyrroloquinoline quinone as a coenzyme, but has been modified so that the activity of the glucose dehydrogenase is reduced, in a medium, and collecting the L-amino acid from the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2011
    Publication date: September 1, 2011
    Inventors: Rie Takikawa, Yoshihiko Hara, Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Patent number: 8008048
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae which has L-cysteine-producing ability and has been modified to decrease the activity of the protein encoded by the yhaM gene. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, their derivatives, or a mixture thereof is collected from the medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2011
    Assignee: Ajinomoto Co., Inc.
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Publication number: 20110177566
    Abstract: A method for producing an L-amino acid is described using a bacterium of the Enterobacteriaceae family, wherein the bacterium contains a protein which is able to confer resistance to growth inhibition by L-cysteine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2011
    Publication date: July 21, 2011
    Inventors: Ekaterina Alekseevna Savrasova, Natalia Viktorovna Stoynova, Gen Nonaka, Shunsuke Yamazaki, Kazuhiro Takumi
  • Publication number: 20110033902
    Abstract: L-Cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof, or a mixture thereof is produced by culturing a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has L-cysteine-producing ability and has been modified so that the activity of a protein encoded by a tolC gene, for example, a protein defined in the following (a) or (b), is increased in a medium, and by collecting L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof, or a mixture thereof from the medium: (a) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, (b) a protein comprising the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2, but wherein one or several amino acid residues are substituted, deleted, inserted or added, increase of which activity in the bacterium improves the ability of the bacterium to produce L-cysteine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Hiroshi Takagi, Iwao Ohtsu
  • Publication number: 20100233765
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which is able to produce L-cysteine, and has been modified to decrease activity of the YdjN protein, or the activities of the YdjN and the FliY protein. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof, or a mixture of these can be collected from the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2010
    Publication date: September 16, 2010
    Inventor: Gen Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20100216196
    Abstract: The present invention provides a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which is able to produce L-cysteine and has been modified to increase the activity of the protein encoded by the dsbA gene. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, a derivative or precursor thereof or a mixture thereof can be collected from the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2010
    Publication date: August 26, 2010
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Hiroshi Takagi, Iwao Ohtsu, Natthawut Wiriyathanawudhiwong, Takeshi Nakatani
  • Publication number: 20100209977
    Abstract: A bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae, which has an ability to produce an amino acid such as L-cysteine and has been modified to have specific mutation in the yeas gene, is cultured in a medium, and the L-amino acid is collected from the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 16, 2010
    Publication date: August 19, 2010
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Takumi, Gen Nonaka
  • Publication number: 20090226984
    Abstract: The present invention describes a bacterium belonging to the family Enterobacteriaceae which has L-cysteine-producing ability and has been modified to decrease the activity of a protein encoded by the d0191 gene. This bacterium is cultured in a medium, and L-cysteine, L-cystine, derivatives thereof, or a mixture thereof is collected from the medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 4, 2009
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Inventors: Gen Nonaka, Kazuhiro Takumi